Those Without Stars
by Afro-Rican
Summary: When a person dies so does their star, but what happens to those who fool the universe and fate. A bloody story about two killers with the world against them unfolds as a will to survive keeps them going. A Final Fantasy VII, Cowboy Bebop crossover.
1. Beginning

Those Without Stars  
  
The years of painful memories wore gone, he had put everything to rest and he was soon to join them. They heavily damaged building was very silent, light shined in from above and weaved its way through the cracks. I slowly made my way back downstairs, my body felt so weak and clumsy. I felt very tired, could barely lift my legs to walk.  
  
Blood dribbled down my legs, even into my shoes as I slowly attempted to walk downstairs. I could only take half steps but I was almost to the lobby. I heard the voices of random men. Probably random thugs without a leader now, I followed the red rug down the stairs.  
  
"Holy shit man what happened?" One random man said  
  
"Hell if I know but an army musta rolled through." Another random  
  
"Hey, hey look!" One said  
  
I was in view, my vision blurred, I felt no pain but I could tell I was knockin on heaven's door. I was relieved it was about time the great legacy of Spike Spiegel to end, I stopped and looked forward. Blood trickled down over my right eye, weakly I pulled up my right hand and made a gun.  
  
"Bang." I said   
  
And like that it was over. I laid there in a dreary disoriented state I felt good as watched my memories flash by, my time as a gangster, meeting Jet, Faye, Ed, Ein.  
  
All my bounty hunts. I didn't understand completely, wasn't I dead.  
  
"Spike!" A voice said, I heard a zip craft, gunshots, violent and multiple like a chain gun.   
  
The hell is going on  
  
End Spike  
  
"Cid you gotta be able to control this damn ship!" I yelled as whatever was left from the Highwind sailed uncontrolable through the skies. Lights and alarms wore alive and seemed to confuse more than inform.  
  
"Shut up!" Cid yelled trying very hard to control his ship, but only managed to barely effect the wild turbulence. My friends rolled, flew, and banged off the walls. Took more damage in this damn ship than exploring the crater.  
  
"Whoaaaa! Ahh!" The wind was knocked out of me as I tumbled and crashed into the wall. I have no idea why I wasn't expecting it though, even Vincent was on the ground bouncing off the walls and crates. The world out of the windshield spun and crashed.  
  
"Damn life stream!" I yelled  
  
And like that it was over, we crashed violently into an open plain as dirt and scrap matel rose into the air and barely missed impaling me. The dust settled, and only a couple small pieces of metal and random items fell making loud clunking sounds.  
  
"Shit Cid that was one helluva ride!" I yelled "Fuck you!" I heard in a muffeld tone.  
  
"Hey whose still alive!" I yelled slowly manuvering through the pipes that almost stabbed me and slowly standing up. I ached all over, definitly bruised, probably a broken rib or two. I grabbed my side as I stood up and winced in pain.  
  
"I'm good." Barret said barely standing up and swaying some as he did.  
  
"Fine." Vincent said re-adjusting his claw and dusting off his cape.  
  
"Ahh! Help my tail's pinned!" RedXIII yelled as Barret ran over to him.  
  
"Whew now that's driving we could have been in the ocean!" Cid yelled full of pride  
  
"Hey were's Tifa?" Yuffie said hanging from a bar with almost no damage.  
  
"Figured you wore alright." I said now more relaxed and sitting on a crate. "Tifa! Tifa!" I yelled  
  
"Ahhh...help." Tifa weakly said.  
  
"Damn!" I yelled   
  
I ran to the voice to see some hair sticking out of a pile of scrap metal. Furiously I pulled at the pipes and destroyed panel, my side was killing me but I had to get her out. This type of stuff doesn't happe to Tifa, she's too strong, too powerful dammit if she's hurt what'll I do I don't need this stress. I pulled off the last panel that actually protected her and I saw her curled up with blood streaming from her frorehead.  
  
"Son of a Bitch!" I yelled   
  
Rolling Tifa over to get a better look at her. Her forehead was split open, need a cure materia.  
  
"Give me a Cure!" I yelled  
  
"Catch." Vincent said as he threw one my way.  
  
I caught it and equipped it onto my shoulder guard my sword was somewhere in the ship, probably hiding ing the scrap metal disgused with the metals laying every where. I focused and willed the power out of the materia  
  
"Cure2" I said as a light rose around me and engulfed her in a colorful, brilliant light.  
  
She moaned slightly as the wound sealed up.  
  
"The hell..." I said, the wound left a scar. "That's not supposed to happen." I said "Barret give me your fire."  
  
Barret tossed the materia to me and I equipped it.  
  
"Fire!" I yelled aiming at a pile of metal  
  
The pile burst into flames and was blown back.  
  
"Cid you try." I said handing Cid the Materia.  
  
"Fire!" Cid sai as he went through his usual routen to focus and nothing happened.  
  
"Shit." I said   
  
I picked up Tifa who was unconsious and trecked through the wreckage to the night sky. It was cool out and the stars wore visible, the night had a strange mood, an ackward vibe probably some after effect of the life stream.  
  
"What the hell happened!" Cid yelled at his new inability.  
  
"Fire!" Barret yelled...nothing  
  
"Thunder." Vincent said...nothing  
  
"Ice!" Red yelled...nothing  
  
"The Fuck makes you so special!" Cid yelled at me  
  
I looked up to the sky with Tifa in my arms.  
  
"No idea." I said not really caring about there line of questioning.  
  
"Hey!" A voice said, it was Reeve, guess he made it out and got a ride too a busted up truck.  
  
"Let's get the hell out of here." I said walking over toward the on coming Reeve.

End Cloud  
  
Hey don't worry I had to set things up the cross over will come


	2. Aftermath

Aftermath  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Final Fantasy VII or Cowboy Bebop  
  
Author: Heh well if anybody's reading I'm still a newbie but hey I'll work through it  
  
As I laid there in the velvet purple haze I lost all track of time, nothing mattered in here. This couldn't be heaven, I watched my life flash by like a movie. Things just merged together, no pain or suffering, but no happiness neither just a lazy float in this world.  
  
"Spike!" A voice somewhat familiar said.  
  
I couldn't pinpoint the voices location or who it was but I knew it. Something about it aggravated me, but also calmed me, it sort of guided. I willed myself to the voices location, it grew louder as I floated off into the nothingness.  
  
"Hey! Hello!" I yelled hoping for a response...nothing.  
  
"Spike! Come back!" The voice yelled.  
  
"Who the hell are you!" I yelled now growing a bit fustrated.  
  
Before I felt like I was finally in a place that I could relax. That my troubles wore over, but now I felt like a prisoner. Everything was the same and a person trying to call out to me. I had to get out.  
  
"Where the hell are you!" I yelled...nothing.  
  
"Dammit! Answere me!" I yelled again.  
  
"Son of a Bi...AGHHHHH!" Pain engulfed my body.  
  
I didn't understand, was I being punished for thinking of escaping. The velvet purple haze washed away and was filled with black, I couldn't see anything. I felt panicked.  
  
"Get me out of here!" I yelled. "Spike!" The voice shrieked. "Dammit Faye shut up!" I yelled out of fustration and anger.  
  
Wait...Faye her name's Faye. I remember now.  
  
"Faye...Faye!" I yelled. "Huh? Spike." Her voice was calm now but bearly audible.  
  
A cold shrill was sent down my spine. I wasn't alone, I whipped around swiftly from the now solid ground I was standing on but something grabbed me around my neck.  
  
"Vicious!" I yelled out of surprise. My voice was squeaky and high pitched from my air being cut off. He shook me violently.  
  
"Spike...Wake up." Faye's voice calmly said.  
  
I realed back my right fist, I didn't want to be a prisoner anymore. I tightend the fist and let it fly  
  
"Raghhhh!" I yelled as I closed my eyes and put all of my force into the blow.  
  
"Wah!" Faye shrieked.  
  
I opened my eyes.  
  
"The Bebop?" I said quizically.  
  
"Holy shit! Spike! Jet come here now!" Faye yelled with a huge glint of excitment in her eyes.  
  
"What!" Jet yelled barging in with his deep voice. He was wearing his usual get up with an apron, chef's hat, and a cigaret between his lips smoking. It was still pretty new. "I don't believe it." Jet said amazed. The cigaret fell from his lips onto the floor causing glowing ashes to rise up.  
  
I began looking around furiously, I was confused. I thought I was dead, last place I remember being at as the syndicate building and in that velvet prison. Now Jet and Faye wore in here watching over me, I looked over my body. I was in a bed, white sheets, I only had on some boxers. A huge needle was connected to my left arm in the vein and various cables wore attached to me.  
  
The muscles in my body twitched as electric pulses wore fed into and it hurt like hell. I grabbed the needle and furiously pulled it out, I the rounded up all the cables to one bundle and pulled them off quickly.  
  
"What's going on?" I asked, my voice was scratchy and weak. Like I haven't spoken in a long time.  
  
Jet and Faye looked at each other as if debating something with there eyes, the stood there silent.  
  
"Well!" I said, my voice was rising with aggravation.  
  
"Listen Spike, just stay calm." Faye said with a soft tone.  
  
"The hell with stay calm what the fuck happened to me." I said checking my anger.  
  
"Spike, you confronting Vicious and facing off against the syndicate happened." She paused to find the proper word. "A while ago." Faye said  
  
"How long ago?" I said now very confused.  
  
"About a year ago." Faye said  
  
"What! What've I been doing for a year!" I yelled shocked.  
  
"After you almost died fighting the Syndicate you wore in a coma." Jet said before taking a short drag from his cigaret. "Faye barged out of here in my ship with the GX-187 strapped to here and tore through some the Syndicate goons to save your sorry ass."  
  
I looked towards Faye, she blushed a little and avoided eye contact.  
  
"She risked her ass for yours." Jet said.  
  
"And where the hell wore you." I said with a little smirk.  
  
I slowly got out of bed and looked at the universe outside the window of the Bebop, everything looked the same. Wonder what's happened in a year of sleeping.  
  
"We made a pact remember, never to get involved in each others past." Jet said confidently.  
  
"I guess your right. So what's happened in the last year of me sleeping?" I asked very curious.  
  
Jet and Faye looked at each other again.  
  
"Just follow us." Faye said walking out of the room toward the bridge.  
  
"Just tell me... damn what's with this silence. I've been out for a year and I have no idea of what's going on!" I was aggravated again, all this dodging of my questions as annoying. I followed Faye who was ignoring me and Jet followed behind me. The ground was cold, I really wanted a pair of pants or something else to cover up with.  
  
"Just look." Faye said stopping before the bribge.  
  
I just gave her a look and walked up and what I saw amazed me. A planet I've never seen before, ships wore flying about delivering and picking up whatever they needed. The planet was clear blue with clouds and land covering it in various places. Gateways wore all around.  
  
"A ship under attack from raiders made a blind jump through the gateways. A Mr. Conners discovered this planet that was already inhabited by people just like us, but the had different technologies. Would you believe they produced a enough workers and developed the technology to colonize this world fully in just one year." Jet said standing behind me watching the view. "The planet was named Aeris after some girl who died supposedly saving it from destruction."  
  
"Holy shit." I said amazed.  
  
End Spike  
  
Three years have passed since the Sephiroth incident, life done everything but go back to normal. The void for a huge dominating company was left behind by Shinra, A terrorist group with a huge following led by a man named Roan Kiske took over the Western continent viciously. Anybody who opposed was killed on the spot, they ruled with an iron fist. Then there's Rictor, he took lead of the Eastern continent. Originally the man who rounded up all the survivors of the Meteor attack he was appointed by the people tor rule. He led his people fairly has been at ends with Kiske. In short we're on the brink of war.  
  
Though there are two groups that have kept this from happening. There's Avalanche, led by Reeves I'm squad leader. We work loyally for Rictor as his elit squad, a four man squad made of the best men available. There's Victor Laux: Vehicles specialist and engineer, Derrick Ramon: Covert ops specialist with an amazing record, Niel Finch: Coreman, if you're hurt he'll heal you, then me Cloud Strife: Weapons specialist and all-round jack-of-all-trades. Then there's Kiske's elite group, the Turks: Reno, Rude, and Elena. Apperantly Kiske offered a better deal, we've met up a few times. In the old Midgar recovering a lost weapons prototype for an advanced Sister Ray, and in Junon when they attempted to gain vital information on what our country was producing just to name a few. They've failed every time.  
  
Though lately I've been questioning our methods, we've been pulling off more assassination missions and I've felt more like a killer than a soldier here to protect the peace.  
  
Every body has gone there own ways, Vincent to repent for his sins has been helping out with the weapons R&D, Cid and Shera are married (not like we didn't see that coming) and work together in our nations military R&D. Cid's mainly focused on transportation and vehicles while Shera is more weapons and chemicals. Barret went back home to North Coral to rebuild and start a new life with Marlene. Reeve as you know is leading the new Avalanche, Yuffie is back in Wutai continuing her training and working with the highest bider for her and her clan's services, not angry with her though, she has a life to live as we all though if we fight I'll show no mercy.  
  
And there's Tifa and me, We don't have a home town and with the Western continents state I lost my Villa. We live together in Junon, a nice delux apartment, we've been a couple for a while now and we've been getting teased about wedding plans. Tifa has a hard time dealing with my line of work, but agrees with the reasons why I do it and has learned to deal. She's been working as a cook for a bar in Junon though she doesn't really need to do it she does it to keep busy along with running a small dojo.  
  
That's about all for the update, now I'm in briefing for an upcoming mission. We've been losing funding and just figured out why. The briefing room was small and bland well lit though, the squad sat in chairs discussing various subjects. There was a projector at the end of the room and a screen on the other end and a table used to plan our attack with a holographic model of the surrounding area, Reeves had just walked in wearing a nice clean cut blue suit.  
  
"Alright listen up." Reeves began the briefing in his usual commanding voice. "For the last five months we've been losing money in our R&D department, this man." Reeves said while pressing a button on the remote in his hand which activated the projector. "A Brian Wrinkle, believed to be an average hardworking accountant has been using this disguise of Jeff Hollandsworth to gain access to Junon and sneak a look into our operations. Recently he has been stealing money from the governments account and sending it to the Western continent."  
  
The man was average heighth, he looked to carry himself pretty well though his suit wouldn't allow you to tell how solid his build was.  
  
"If you would turn your attention to the holo-map." Reeves pressed another button on the remote and a holographic image of sector nine, two apartment buildings. I remember those buildings, they wore old and falling apart, a slum of Junon with crime running rampant. Even cops rarely traveled there, a real shit hole. "Intel has revealed to us that tonight Mr. Hollandsworth has a meeting with some contacts from the Western continent." "You know it's the Turks." I inturrupted. "Yes, but that hasn't been confirmed. Either way the meeting will take place at 0001 hours in sector nine, in the Dansen project. The abandend O'Rian's project will serve as a perfect vantage point. Cloud you've got the honors, go to the armoury at 1000 hours tonight so you've got five hours have fun."  
  
As the time wasted by the guys went out for random things, some quality time with there ladies or just a nice little quicky. I stayed behind practicing my marksmanship. Soon it was 10:00 p.m. and we met up at the armoury to acquire our equipment. We recieved one 50. handgun, one highpowered RX-538 assult rifles, three grenades combat knife though I chose my murasame, night vision goggles, and I recieved my E-32 bolt action sniper rifle. Two hours later we wore taking our postions I posted up in the 12 floor apartment exactly across from the meeting room, Victor was driving getaway in a black van Derrick and Neil wore backing me up.  
  
For an hour we waited in silence.  
  
"Cloud I got the mark." Victor quietly said over the intercoms.  
  
"Picking up movement in the building, We've got Turks." I said.  
  
I waited for the right moment, Jeff walked in. His light brown hair was slicked back with gel, he was wearing an expensive suit. I trained the cross hairs in him following his movements, he went in for a hand shake with the sloppily dressed Reno.  
  
"Bang." I said to myself.  
  
I pulled the trigger and the gun kicked back, the muffled sound of a silenced gunshot sounded as the bullet traveled from the barrel to Jeffs skull. As I got up to strap my rifle to my back I caught glimpse of the damage the bullet had done. Chunks of skull and brain matter with some hair exploded from the top half of the marks head, blood splattered the walls as Jeff's body fell limp to the ground.  
  
"Victor lets move." I said as I ran down stairs following my squad members.  
  
Gunshots from .45's sounded into the cold, black night air, we ran to ground level were Victor was waiting on us, we wore in full sprint, smoke escaped our mouths as we loaded into the van and drove off into the night as the Turks ran out firing rounds at the van in a vain attempt to stop us.  
  
"Reeve, yeah mission complete." I said.  
  
"Yeah Cloud, now that's what I call shooting!" Neil yelled.  
  
"Nasty, did you see how his head splattered, nasty, you took off the top half." Derrick said.  
  
"Lets hurry up." I said somewhat pridefull of my work.  
  
It took about a day but eventually we unloaded our gear. wrote our reports and wore aloud free time. I took this time to celebrate with my teamates, after some drinking I was ready to go home.  
  
"Aight, see yall around!" I yelled the guys still in the bar. I hopped on my Fenrir (Clouds motorcycle in advent children) and rode home. The ride wasn't too long, the street lights wore blowing by at highspeeds as I rode the streets home. I pulled up to a huge apartment complex were me and Tifa lived, I parked in the garage and walked into the clean, well lit, spacious lobby.  
  
"Hello Mr.Strife." Danny the bellboy said  
  
"Hey." I said walking by.  
  
I entered the elevator and rode it to the tenth floor, room 430. I opened the door to the still lit apartment.  
  
"Tifa!" I yelled walking in.  
  
"Hey Tifa!" I yelled.  
  
"Oh I get it, some more of those games, alright." I said in a playish tone  
  
I walked on the plush white carpet, past the white leather sofa, and into the kitchen.  
  
"HYAA!" Tifa yelled as she let a left looping hook kick fly.  
  
I ducked the kick, she came at me with a straight left, right, left combo. I dodged right outside the jab, left, then right again this time catching her arm and pulling her close.  
  
"That was very naughty." I said with a smirk.  
  
"Your point?" Tifa asked with a playish tone. "Good to see you're safe." She said more serious.  
  
"Yup, now c'mon." I said housting her in my shoulders back to our room.  
  
I set her down and looked her in the face, she came up close for a kiss I've been longing for. We parted then kissed again, I felt her tongue against mine and reached up her robe she was wearing.  
  
"Alright, you sure are frisky." I said.  
  
"Lay down." Tifa said pushing me onto the bed.  
  
She turned around and began to strip, by the time she took her robe off and turned back towards me I was already naked under the sheets with my arms open wide.  
  
"Hahah." She giggled and came in close towards me.  
  
I got some booty, I got some booty and it was good too, by the time we wore done I couldn't even look her in th face no more.  
  
"Cloud, are you going to continue this line of work?" Tifa asked laying down on my chest while I played with her hair.  
  
"I'll quit one day, but right now I'm needed. I'm doing this to protect you and the people." I said, fatigue was beginning to wear away at me.  
  
"I understand, but I can't lose you. What if you get hurt or die...Cloud? Cloud?" Tifa said  
  
"ZZZZZZZ."  
  
"Hey! Wake up." She yelled hitting me in the chest hard.  
  
"Ahhh! What I'm awake." I said.  
  
"What if you die?" Tifa asked.  
  
"I won't." I said.  
  
"That sounds like a promise." Tifa said  
  
"ZZZZZZZZZ"  
  
"Asshole." Tifa said and went to sleep.  
  
"Mmmm. Tifa?" I asked getting up, I was to groggy to notice anything.  
  
I turned over to see a lump in the bed in the shape of human with light brown hair sticking out.  
  
"Hey." I said nudging her.  
  
"Hmm. What?" It was a woman, but it wasn't Tifa.  
  
"Whoa shit!" I yelled rolling out of bed onto the hard wood floor. I looked around this wasn't my house and I looked at the woman.  
  
"Aeris?" I asked.  
  
"What babe." Aeris said waking rubbing her eyes while covering herself with the blanket.  
  
"Dad, wake up!" A young boy yelled excitedly while hopping on the bed, he looked to be around five years old.  
  
"Dad?" I quietly said to myself.  
  
"Tyler, get off the bed right now." Aeris said sternly and the boy quickly complied.  
  
"But dad said he'd take me with him on his motor..cy..cle." The boy had trouble pronouncing motorcycle, but that was the last thing on my mind.  
  
"Well Cloud you did say you'd take him." Aeris said.  
  
"....Huh?" I was completely lost, son, Aeris alive.  
  
"Holy shit!" I yelled as everything hit me.  
  
"OOOOOH!" The boy said.  
  
"Cloud, don't use that language around Tyler!" Aeris scolded.  
  
I held my head as I backed up into the wall and just slid down, I put both hands o my head and grabbed my hair.  
  
"Huh?" My hair was cut short.  
  
"Babe...You alright?" Aeris asked looking at me quizically.  
  
"Dad, what's wrong?" Tyler said.  
  
"Cloud...Wake up." A voice hardly audible said.  
  
My eyes shot open.  
  
"Tifa?" I said.  
  
By now Aeris was at my side.  
  
"What?" Aeris said.  
  
"Tifa" I said again.  
  
"Oh Cloud don't do this." Aeris said slightly worried.  
  
I looked up with a look of determination in my eyes.  
  
"You will regret it." Aeris said.  
  
The room and Tyler faded to black.  
  
"Sorry babe." Aeris said.  
  
She cocked her right arm back and it formed into a long sharp straight double ended blade the same color as her skin.  
  
"The fuck!" I yelled.  
  
She lunged foreward towards my head, quickly I rolled forward dodging the blade and forcing her to turn around giving me enough time to get to my feet. I put my hands up in a fist even with my cheeks but about a few inches away and began hopping on the balls of my feet.  
  
I was shirtless and didn't have my sword, I was at a huge disadvantage. She walked foreward with the blade's tip facing me. I hopped foreward fiented and happoed back as she tried to strike me, I threw two left jabs, then a straight right and a rigght kick with full connection. She stumbled back with blood dribbling down her mouth, she ran foreward and stabbed with her blade. I dodged left keeping my feet planted and threw a left to the body with connection and a right upper-cut.  
  
Aeris was lifted back and landed with a hard thud. Quickly she got up and charged foreward again.  
  
"You're just a beast." I said preparing for my next attack.  
  
She swiped diagonally from upper right to the bottom left, I dodged outside the slash, she slashed horizontally left to right, I ducked and jumped back as another slash came horizontally right to left. I went for a quick left jab but was stopped by a swift right elbow that I attempted to avoid but ended up taking it on the cheek. I stumbled back but quickly recovered, Aeris ran forward and lept into the air with her left foot sailing towards me I side stepped the attack and rolled with it, as she attempted to slach me with her right arm blade I caught her arm by the joint where it was still normal and twisted the other way with my right hand locking the joint and sent her flailing to the ground with a loud thud, the air escaping her lungs could be heard. I jumped on top of her and put my right forearm in her throat while holding her head back with my left.  
  
"Cloud." Came a gasping voice, but it sounded like Tifa.  
  
"Please...Cloud...Stop." Everything came back into focus.  
  
"Tifa?" I said beyond surprised.  
  
I jumped off of her and looked at her as she gagged for air.  
  
"I'm...sorry." I reached foreward but she flinched back. Tifa never flinches.  
  
"No." I quietly said to my self.  
  
I grabbed my clothes, some blue jeans, a sleeveless, white, and blue jersey style shirt that read "Behemoth" (A name brand like ecko.) a black leather trench coat and my black combat boots, grabbed my keys to Fenrir, my buster sword that I kept on a rack, my wallet and ran out the door.  
  
"I'm sorry." I said from my bike before I took off.  
  
I needed some time to think, what the hell just happened. I sat on my bike in the plains outside of Junon resting on the handle bars. What if it happens again, what if I hurt her, or kill her. I continued to look into the sky when a fast movement caught my eye. I looked left into the sky to see an ackward distortion in the sky.  
  
"Hmm?" I said very curious.  
  
Suddenly a bright light flashed and a huge ship appeard in the skies. I looked on at the spectacle in amazement as the ship came closer to the planet.  
  
"Holy shit."  
  
End Cloud  
  
Ahh, another slow chapter, I hope some bodies reading because Cloud and Spike finally meet next chapter  
  
Late 


	3. Bounty Hunters

Bounty Hunters  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Final FF7, CB, or Jordan.  
  
"So what the hell are we doing here?" I asked  
  
"Were on a hunt, big game for a terrorist leader named Ben Andrews." Jet informed.   
  
"You should sit this one out." Faye said.  
  
"I appreciate the concern but I'm alright. You got a game plan Jet?" I asked while putting on my usual suit, was in the middle of buttoning up my shirt.  
  
"Well with our little surprise I've gotta rethink this." Jet said.  
  
"Tell me when you figure this out." I said as I walked off to waste my time somewere else.  
  
"Right." Jet said in a half hearted side tracked tone.  
  
I looked out the window toward the new planet.  
  
"Aeris huh? What a wierd name." I said to myself.  
  
"It was pretty big news, the planet was full of monsters." Faye said walking in.  
  
"Wait...What?" I asked making sure I heard that right.  
  
"Monsters, that planet was full of them, but the people there didn't really seem to mind, if they wore attacked, the monsters wore usually delt with. Guess growing up with those things makes it kind of normal?" Faye said.  
  
"Faye, thanks for sticking by me." I said looking toward the ground. "So what happened while I was out?" I asked, I've been wondering what they've been doing for a year and why I was on the Bebop instead of in a hospital.  
  
"Well... My ship was wrecked so I took Jet's ship. I also strapped on the GX-187 and took you back." Faye said.  
  
"That old relic, that damn gatling gun could've back fired on you." I said  
  
"Yes it could've. Well anyway that's not all...You actually died for a little while." Faye said. She began to walk to the window to get a look at the planet or just to avoid eye contact.  
  
"Died...Well, hah, hah, hahahahah!" I couldn't control myself. For all the sins I've commited I should've died a long time ago.  
  
"That's not funny!" Faye yelled irritated.  
  
By all means I should be dead, all the bullets I've eaten, near misses, surviving by a thread. Guess I'm not the type to die, period.  
  
"I'm sorry, just who'd think after all the shit I went through. That I'm still standing." I said.  
  
"So what? Are you waiting for death?" Faye asked, her tone had grown cold and harsh.  
  
"No, don't really know what I'm gonna do now, guess I'll have to do what I've been doing for the last couple of years." I said putting my hands behind my head and looking towards the ceiling.  
  
"What's that?" Faye asked.  
  
"Just wing it." I said looking down towards her with a little smirk.  
  
"Alright Spike I got it!" Jet yelled.  
  
"Alright, I'll be right there!" I yelled back.  
  
I looked back at Faye and we walked into the living room were Jet had moved to.  
  
"Alright look at this." Jet said infront of our computer terminal.  
  
"Okay, with a little bit of help from an old friend I got the terrorists mock work force since they use an office building as cover, they act as the usual staff, but it's really just a hide out for Andrews. Now what we've confirmed is there is still a regular job." Jet said.  
  
"What job?" I asked.  
  
"Janitor, so we get you in some scraggaly clothes and you sneak in there." Jet said.  
  
"Ahh...Alright, when do we go. Well the next shift will be in eight hours, it'll take some time before we dock in Gongaga." Jet said.  
  
"Gongaga?" I said curiously, what kind of name is Gongaga?  
  
"Yeah Gongaga. Either way we land in Gongaga, from there you two take your zip crafts to the nearest apartment buildings." Jet said.  
  
"Then I pose as a janitor, take whatever equipment I need, sneak in. You give me some kind of gadget to knock out any guard, I get in close and collect the bounty right?" I asked  
  
"...Yeah, also one thing right up your alley. This is a dead or alive, bring some proof that you've finished him, like this ruby bangle he wears and you get paid." Jet said.  
  
It took some time, more accuratly two hours before we docked. I took this time to get a little bit of training in to calm my nerves, I could tell Jet and Faye wore a little skeptical of my abilities and if they should even let me try.  
  
"Alright Spike, you ready? Faye's got your back up." Jet said over the p.a. as I walked toward the garage.  
  
"I feel safe already." I murmured in a sarcastic tone.  
  
I walked into the garage were Faye was waiting.  
  
"Hurry up!" Faye yelled impatiantly.  
  
"Hey...Shut the fuck up." I said climbing into the Swordfish.  
  
"You ready?" Jet asked now over our cell phones.  
  
"As I'll ever be." I said more focused on putting on my gloves. "Hey Jet, meaning to ask you. Why wasn't I in a hospital."  
  
"Oh... Faye wou..." Jet was cut off.   
  
"Don't worry about it!" Faye interrupted.  
  
"Okay...Whatever." I said.  
  
"And launch." Jet said.   
  
The garage door opened to reveal a wonderful blue sky. Clouds drifted lazily through the sky as the city below was alive with car traffic and zip crafts raced about. The engine of the Swordfish roared to life as I launched, I sailed over the ocean at high speeds followed by the Red Tail. I looked over myself, I was wearing some faded blue jeans, a pair of old brown boots, a yellow shirt that was too small for me, and a blue hat. We flew over the tall sky scrapers and high buildings, we saw the the shimmering office building. It wasn't anything special, maybe twenty floors, windows reflected the sun off of them blinding anybody who tried to look in.  
  
"Faye, you picked out a spot?" I asked over the intercom.  
  
"Yeah, look two builings down and one to the right!" Faye yelled over the blarring pop music.  
  
"Right, just make sure you cover my ass if I need it." I said.  
  
I saw a nice looking spot four blocks away, high builings surrounded this one low building that gave perfect cover. I walked four blocks down the busy streets, people walked by talking on cellphones, carrying various items, and the such.  
  
"Spike, were are you?!" Faye yelled over our cellphones.  
  
"I'm almost there." I said. "Don't call me anymore."   
  
"Gotcha, hurry up." Faye said.  
  
"Damn she's annoying." I said to my self.  
  
I stopped just before the building, concrete steps led to the building.  
  
"How the hell did they get a building like this?" I said quietly to my self. "Well then, my shift is up."  
  
I walked into the building. I scanned the lobby area of the building, it was very clean. What looked to be marble floors reflected the ceiling, chandillers hung from the ceiling. Useless being how it was around about 5:00 p.m. though this wasn't the most important thing on my mind.  
  
"Hey." I said as I walked in  
  
The people in the building noticed me the moment I walked in. I pulled the bill of my hat down to cover my eyes, I noticed that all of them kept looking my way in flashes. I walked to the janitors room.  
  
"Hey, you new?" The janitor asked. He was an old man and rather thin, balding though he carried himself rather well, he wore a blue jump suit.  
  
"Yeah, I'm here to help the man who normally works this shift." I said  
  
"Hmm... they didn't announce you. Well whatever James will be here soon, just relax." He said.  
  
"Thanks, hey did my keys and suit arrive?" I asked.  
  
"No...Well here take my keys, just don't lose them." The man said.  
  
"Thanks...Carl." I said as I read his name tag. "I'm Will."   
  
I shook the old man's hand and walked into the janitor's room. It was small and pretty cramped, there was a small TV and a radio. I closed the door and pulled out my cell phone.  
  
"Hey Faye, I'm in. This might take a while, I have no idea where this Ben guy is." I said.  
  
"Well then get to searching." Faye said.  
  
"Yeah and blow my..." I was stopped by James walking in. "Alright pick up some milk and eggs, alright, I love you to, Bye."  
  
"Hey, that the old ball and chain." James said.  
  
"Yeah, Carl told you about me?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, well. Let's get to work." James said.  
  
I began searching for Ben while keeping my cover, everywhere I walked I was watched. Periodically I would call Faye to check her status, the time passed as dusk came. I walked into a hall in the eleventh floor, I acted to mop the hallway and walked up to two big men dressed in black suites. One looked to be black, the other had more of a lighter brown shade of skin. I walked up to them as they watched silently.  
  
"Hey." I said as I stopped infront of them.  
  
Alright, let's see if this spray Faye gave me works. It was a knock-out spray hidden in two cans.  
  
"Can I go in there to clean up?" I asked.  
  
"No people allowed." The darker man said sternly.  
  
"Oh I'm just gonna clean the windows." I said  
  
I held up the cans to their faces and sprayed.  
  
"Hey uhhhh."  
  
"Wahhhh."  
  
"Go to sleep." I said.  
  
I walked in acting as normal as possible, the room was small but nicely lit, red carpet, a nice view of the city, an oak desk, and a nice little bed.  
  
"Hey what are you doing her?!" A man asked.  
  
"Just cleaning the windows." I said.  
  
"Your not allowed in here?!" He said.   
  
He reached for his desk.  
  
"I wouldn't do that Ben." I said  
  
I drew my gun and aimed directly at him, my trusty glock that I kept hidden in the back waist of my pants.  
  
"Now..." I was suddenly cut off.  
  
"Don't move." A mysterious man said, he had spikey blonde hair, an unusual glow in his eyes, he wore an all black valour suit with red stitching, and was hold a .50 desert eagle.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" I asked.  
  
"Don't worry about it." He said sternly  
  
I'm not letting him take my bounty.  
  
End Spike  
  
It's been a year since what happened with that ship. It turned that humans exist in other parts of the universe. I remember how excited RedXIII was because he predicted something friendly was out there. The small crew that was aboard that ship basically single handedly ended the conflict between the eastern and western continents. They saw this as a more important matter and ended up calling a truce, Eventually more humans arrived as they sent out transmitions and built gateways with the help of Cid and Shera's mechanical discoveries. Cid was like a kid in a toy store when he saw the technology they brought with them and was allowed to tamper with it.  
  
So as more people arrived cities wore built. It all happened so fast but every city expanded till most of the world was covered. There are still some places left to its natural wilderness, a lot of the monsters wore exterminated and we wore intergrated to there government. Gil became wulongs and chocobos became cars and zip crafts, we even took in their culture, styles, ect. Though we recieved the good we also recieved the bad. Drugs, crime, gangs, and all that fun stuff. My squad was no longer needed so we dispanded, I don't know what happened to the guys, but I've become a bounty hunter, mainly since I can go alone. I haven't left the planet yet. I do have a zip craft: Heaven's Cloud, the ship's silver in color though it can change colors, it's shaped as a long point going from large in the back to pointed in the front with a circular shape in the middle for my pod, four beams from that circular point bend back at a moderate angle to attach the halo, a circular shaped part of the ship that holds rear weapons. It uses a knew energy source Shera dicovered, even though I'm the only person I know who can use materia they still haven't lost there power.   
  
It drives its power from the all summon materia, it's almost limitless, but my ship can only take so much before it over heats. It has a GPH-X67 gatling gun, X30 laser cannon, a lift to carry vehicles, and a compartment in the halo in four place for blinders, mines, or any other rear weapon. My friends have all taken different paths, Barret had his arm restored and is starting his career as a professional boxer, RedXIII is working as a lead astronomer in a science facility, Yuffie and her band of ninjas now work as complete mercenaries, Reeves is some kind of political figure, I quit paying attention. Vincent is now an arms dealer, very unexpected, and there's Tifa, I haven't seen her since that day but the nightmares haven't left me yet. I can't risk hurting her, I haven't lost all contact with her, I call and send her money after every bounty hunt which I'm getting a reputation for.  
  
Either way to bring things to the present I now live in Tanza city on the Eastern continent by myself in an average apartment downtown. Facing the busy streets about six stories up, my apartment is basically a gym. I spend most of my free time training my body, and going out. I've got punching bags, speed bags, a mat, mirrors, double end bags, and everything else needed for combat training. I also have a rack for my guns and swords.  
  
Right now I'm sitting here in my apartment doing sit-ups to destroy my boredom. The TV/computer set is sitting on a table in the middle of the room, the mid day sun lit the room fully as the temperature was actually very comfortable.  
  
"What've we got today?" I said walking up to the computer.  
  
At around 1:00 p.m. new bounties are posted up on the net. I surfed the web till I came upon the most recent bounties set.  
  
"Ben Andrews." I whispered to myself.  
  
I decided to take the bounty, it was worth twenty million wulongs. I checked my usual sources to make my game plan, he was hiding out in a small office building. Don't really know how a terrorist could get that, but whatever. I decided it would be best for me to infiltrate while it was dark, I loaded the building schematic into my field watch, grabbed some street clothes, a black valour suit with red stitching from Jordan's clothing line with a red and black pair of Jordans, grabbed my magnetic sword sheath with stealth camo thanks to Cid for that one, my buster sword loaded with my all magic materia and my .50 Desert Eagle, and headed out.  
  
I went into the zip craft garage and headed out on my hunt, I arrived in Gongaga at around 4:16 p.m. and decided to position myself. I landed Heaven's Cloud pretty far away, maybe five miles out, and took a cab to the building.  
  
"Time to work." I said to myself as I looked at the front of the building.  
  
I snuck into the alley ways, they wore dark, poorly lit, trash filled alley, and crawling with guards luckily there was dumpsters. I looked up at the fire escape.  
  
"Alright." I whispered to myself  
  
I watched as a guard walked and turned a corner I made my move, quickly I snuck behind the guard and continued till the next dumpster. The fire escape was still a little ways off and I still had four guards patroling. I pressed my back against the dumpster and crouched low as I heard a guard walk close. He stopped just next to me and then turned back around, I tightened my fist and silently followed step behind him till we came across another dumpster. Quickly I stepped to my right and hid behind the dumpster, he soon stopped and turned back around. I stayed in the shadows as he walked past me, I stopped and listened, foot steps getting louder. Once the steps stopped I prepared to move, the steps started again this time going faint.   
  
Silently I ran diagonally left to the nearest dumpster right under the fire escape. I needed a distraction, I pressed my field watch and accessed Heaven's Cloud. I had it fire a mine into the air, soon a loud bang was heard as the sky lit up from the violent explosion, all the guards looked in the direction of the explosion. I tightened my fist and ran as fast as I could in a crouch till I reached the guard on the other side of the dumpster. I sprung forward and threw a vicious right hook that connected with the guards left temple knocking him out cold. I drug the body behind the dumpster and climbed up the fire escape that was about seven feet above the dumpster to the eleventh floor, I checked the buildings map.  
  
"Only two rooms up there, he's gotta be in them."  
  
I opened the door and silently snuck in, I looked down the hallway that turned left, odds are there's guards there. I looked around then up, there was a vent there, the hallway looked narrow enough. I jumped off one wall and pivoted both my feet on each wall and held my position just under the grate. Quickly I unscrewed the grate and set it aside in the vent and climbed in, I had some trouble manuvering around with my buster sword on my back. The vent had a blue tint to it, the sound of solid hitting aluminum was barely audible. I crawled till I could take the nearest right, I went to the nearest grate I could see. Nothing, next room, I began crawling backwards.  
  
"Wahhhh."  
  
"The hell? shit." Another bounty hunter must be here.  
  
Quickly I crawled to the next room.  
  
"I wouldn't do that Ben." A voice said. Furiously I crawled to the grate and drew my .50  
  
I busted through the grate.  
  
"Don't move." I said.  
  
I hung from the vent with my legs while aiming upside down, the man was holding a glock, he had faded blue jeans, a yellow shirt that was too small for him, brown old boots, and a blue plain hat.  
  
"Who are you?" He asked.  
  
"Don't worry about it." I replied  
  
Your not going to get my bounty.  
  
"To hell with this!" Ben yelled  
  
"Don't do it." We both yelled  
  
Ben pulled out a shotgun from under his desk. Dead it is. Me and the mystery man here both unloaded, the .50 recoiled in my hands, and the room lit up with muzzle fire as bullets sailed toward there target. The bullets tore through his body in mulitple areas, mainly the torso. Blood squirted from the entry wound as chunks of flesh and meat tore away with the exit wound. As his body fell blood pooled around him, I noticed something ackward in his hand.  
  
"Damn." I said.  
  
"What a dumbass." The man said  
  
"Hmm... What's he got in his hand?" I asked  
  
His last breath exited his body as he pressed a red button down from the sleek, black item in his hand. Suddenly a sound could be heard, like something charging, it was then that I noticed a blinking red light as did the mystery man.  
  
"Fuck run!" I yelled as we both figured out what it was  
  
The whole building must have been wired. Quickly we scrambled out of the room into the hallway turning right toward the stairs that was now less lit. Loudly the explosion erupted from the room, the walls and ground seemed to almost shift from below us. I slightly lost my balance along with the guy but it didn't get past a stumble as we quickly made our way to the stair case. The stairs wore engulfed with light as a fiery explosion erupted behind us.  
  
"Holy hell!" I yelled.  
  
Swiftly we hopped down the stairs.  
  
"The hell was that!?" One of the men in the building yelled opening a door to the stair case to see what the ruckus was about. I lept into the air and with my right foot kicked the door back into the man furiously. I could here the sound of a nose breaking along with a solid thud of the door crushing his face, we continued down the stairs while pulling out my .50 and reloading it as did the man.  
  
"Be ready!" He yelled.  
  
"Already know!" I replied  
  
Another explosion rocked the floor we just passed as the door was sent of the hinges into the wall, the deafening sound of the explosion made it impossible to hear any oncoming enemies. Another man barged through the door, I had forgoten which floor I was on. He was packing a sub-machine gun, I couldn't identify what it was during all the confusion and it really didn't matter. While running full speed down the steps I aimed swiftly and fired, three shots was all as they pierced his stomach twice and the left side of his chest probable shredding his heart. He flew back onto the wall and slid down leaving a crimson smear, We hopped down the stairs just in time to avoid another explosion.  
  
"To close! We gotta move faster!" I yelled.  
  
We hopped down another flight of stairs, three men piled out into the stair case. I didn't have time to aim, I holstered my weapon and grabbed my buster sword, it immediatly came into view as the camo vanished leaving charges of electricity weaving through.  
  
"The hell?" One said as I lept of the stair case towards them.  
  
The man shot one in the head causing an explosion of brain matter and skull. Yelling I held my weapon over my head and brought it down with furious intensity splitting a man from his left shoulder to the top of his right waist. His blood smeared the walls as his two pieces fell to the ground still twitching and squirting blood. I turned the weapon up and cut the last man infront of me through his torso in a diagional from the left part of his waist to his face causing blood to spray in my direction. I side stepped the spray and sheathed the buster sword causing it to disappear in the camo and we continued our way down.   
  
"Damn that was brutal!" He yelled over another explosion.  
  
We had been gaining more ground on the fiery death above us. We continued our sprint without any problem.  
  
"2nd floor!" I yelled.  
  
I looked up to see the top of the building collapsing, there was no way we could make it to ground level without being crushed. I ran towards the door and opened it wildly.  
  
"Get in!" I yelled.  
  
He understood the situation and dove in with blinding speed. I didn't even bother looking up as I dove through the doorway and rolled to get my footing. The exit was within reach, just down the escalator. The man jumped on the metal piece between the two escalators and slid down while I just jumped over the railing. I could hear the explosion closing in on us, I didn't look back. I landed and rolled forward to keep my momentum going as the guy landed and we scrambled to for the exit, the explosion was on our heels like a living beast. The glass doors infront of us wore open to reveal the cool dusk world outside, we ran outside and diagonally to our right to dive behind a concrete edge jutting out were the bushes for the building decoration was.  
  
"DAMMIT!" The guy yelled.  
  
"SON OF A BITCH!" I yelled as we dove behind the edge.  
  
As we scrambled to press against the wall I caught a glimpse of the building crumbling. We rested against the wall as the final explosion sounded rocking the ground below us, fire roared above us destroying the bush. The heat radiated against our skin as the street was lit with the flames. We sat there panting and sitting up right, he pulled a box of cigarets out from his pocket. He opened it, took one out, and lit it, he took a long drag from it and blew a puff of smoke into the air. He tilted the box towards me to offer me one.  
  
"Don't smoke." I said waving them off.  
  
"Names Spike by the way." He said relaxing his shoulders.  
  
"Cloud." I said.  
  
"Damn that was crazy, all that trouble and no bounty." Spike said.  
  
After Spike said that an ackward object landed infront of us with a ting. A ruby bangle, I racked my mind for were I've seen that before. Then it hit me, it was Ben's. Me and and Spike looked at each other, whatever friendship we just had died.  
  
I had just began moving, barely past a twitch when Spike slid forward on his right leg and kicked with his left leg causing his body to spin toward me at highspeeds. I brought my left arm up and successfully blocked the strike, but he broke my field watch which ment I couldn't call Heaven's Cloud. I had a five mile run back to my ship and I bet he wasn't alone.  
  
"Faye move in on my position." Spike said into his cell phone.  
  
I grabbed his left leg with my left arm, set my right arm around the same leg and once I got into a crouched position I drug Spike along the ground lifting him a little and throwing him a short distance to my right. I ran forward and grabbed the bangle.  
  
"Bitch!" I yelled.   
  
I ran across the street, now empty into an alleyway. I ran full sprint into the dingy darkness, newspaper was laying about along with other pieces of garbage. Spike had given up all pursuit, but I wasn't going to risk it. He seemed to want the bounty bad and was armed, I drew my .50 and continued into the long alley. I had just reached the exit into another street, this one was full of people and a serious traffic jam. Sounds of an engine could barely be heard but the came closer, extremely fast. I attempted to blend in with the crowd by walking and keeping my head down. Suddenly a bright light shinned down on me, I didn't look up. I still had a distance to cover and I've been found out. I went into a full sprint, the zip craft followed behind in hot pursuit. I continued following the street mainly because the pilot wouldn't dare fire on civilians but the people wore wisening up and getting out of the way. I took a right into the alleyway as the ship followed close behind.  
  
I ran between apartment buildings now lit with people eating their dinner. Some poked out their windows to catch a peek at the events going on outside. Once the zip craft had a clear view of me it began to fire, the vulcan canon on it could have easily tore me to pieces. I dove behind a building at the alley's cross section giving me enough time to cast a speed on myself. I concentrated on myself as a bright light engulfed me, I could feel the new speed coursing through me.  
  
I jumped out from my cover and continued my sprint this time with an unbelievable speed. The vulcan couldn't get a good lock onto me, I heard a sound of something being loaded.  
  
"Shit!" I said to myself.  
  
I knew something destructive would be coming my way. As I heard the recognizable sound of a grenade being launched I dove forward as far as I could. I saw for a brief moment the fiery explosion from the grenade as garbage and garbage cans wore incinerated. The end of the alley was within reach, I blindly ran out into the middle of the street.   
  
Horns honked as I caught a quick look at a pedestrians car coming and me at high speeds on my right. I didn't have time to identify only react, I did a cartwheele to my right pivoting my right hand on the hood. I pushed off and rounded so my back was squared up with the diesel behind me. With my legs already prepared for my next jump I kicked off the roof as hard as I could denting the roof and performed a backlflip with my legs together. I watched the white trailer of the diesel, I had to easily clear ten feet on my jump but I didn't know if it was enough. I watched the metal screamed towards my head as I continued to rise. I barely cleard the trailer as I landed in a crouch holding the handle of my buster sword on my back as I slid back.  
  
Had to be about nine feet easily, I quickly stood up and whipped around to see the zip craft that was chasing me. It had what looked like two grenade launchers and two vulcan canons and a more boxy shape around the sphere. My hair rustled in the wind, it was wet with sweat. I rode the diesel for a couple of miles, before any more touble arrived. The sound of another zip crafts engine could be heard, but this one sounded different some how. As it flew towards me at high speeds I saw that it was red with a sleek design sort of like Heaven's Cloud with two wings and a huge cannon.  
  
"Oh shit, barrier!" I yelled as the wall formed infront of my to block the on coming attack.   
  
His vulcan fired bullets at me at a very high velocity, I put all of my focus into the barrier. I began to feel it weaken in the onslaught as bullets deflected off of it. As the pilot's pass ended I jumped off of the diesel, I was right next to Heaven's Cloud. I ran into the building, adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I ran up the steps to my zip craft.  
  
I boarded my ship and took off a.s.a.p.  
  
"Hey Cloud, still got my ring?" Spike asked  
  
"No, I've got mine." I said.  
  
"Quit being an asshole and give it to us!" A woman yelled.  
  
"Faye." Spike said.  
  
"Why should I?" I asked.  
  
"Because we've got a ship we've gotta pay for!" The woman named Faye yelled. Ship huh, that could be useful.  
  
"Well I've got my problems too, tough." I said.   
  
They both wore behind me at each side. I accelerated as did they. My control panel beeped to show lock-on, I barrol rolled left and dropped low avoiding two missles, I continued to sweep low in a wide arc to avoid gun fire. Barrol rolling I accelerated forward and gained some more altitude, I then turned left and deccelerated to perform a sharp turn and accelerated between them. They turned wide crossing by eachother one going low and one going high.  
  
"Damn, you got some skills don't ya. But don't think I'll miss again like I did on the truck." Spike said.  
  
I ignored him and conintued my flight path. Suddenly I caught multiple lock-ons, I couldn't count how many missle and not to mention the gunfire. They wore about to unload on me, I released my blinders behind me and accelerated. I then turned right to ambush them from the side at a wide arc, they wouldn't be able to see me with their naked eyes. The lock-ons wore disengaged as the bright lights from the blinders faded I lined up with their right side and accelerated. I was traveling at a high speed when the blinders finally faded out, only the boxy craft was there. I fired my gatling gun at it, I wasn't trying to kill whoever it was so I let out a small burst that connected with the engine.  
  
"Dammit! Spike I'm out!" Faye yelled as her craft sailed towards the city below.  
  
"Guess it's just me and you huh?" Spike said with a hint of excitment in his voice.  
  
"Get some." I said.  
  
"Haha. You know that trick you pulled off was nice, but I invented it." Spike said.  
  
Spike came from almost no where at mach speeds. If I hadn't of anticipated the attack I would've destroyed. I accelerated and turned around swiftly to get behind Spike, I opened fire, he rolled right and dropped at and angle avoiding all of my fire.  
  
He went upside down and performed a backflip following me as I turned to avoid but it didn't work. Spike was behind me and again I had mulitple lock-ons. He fired a volley of missles that spread into multiple smaller missles.  
  
"Fuck!" I yelled.  
  
I stopped turning right while spinning, accelerated turning left suddenly ant an upward angle, I jolted right to avoid some more missles I rolled left while managing to turn right and then I accelerated then stopped, turned up for a sharp turn upward and accelerated again.  
  
"Damn!" I yelled as one missle managed to connect.  
  
My halo had taken some damage. I released the three mines I had left at the oncoming Spike. I could tell from the sloppy dodge he didn't expect it. One mine damaged him a little bit.  
  
"Damn, nice move kid. I just had her painted too." Spike said. "Listen we really need that ring, what'll it take for you to let us have it?"  
  
"You have a ship right, not a zip craft... A ship?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah why?" Spike asked.  
  
This was my chance to get off this rock.  
  
Two weeks later.  
  
"Spike can I ask you something?" Jet asked.  
  
"Yeah." Spike said.  
  
"What is it with us and attracting people?" Jet asked.  
  
"Hey, we needed the bounty and the guy's a good pick up." Spike said.  
  
"Yeah, but you know. I always wanted privacy." Jet said.  
  
"Should have guessed by know that'll never happen." Spike said.  
  
They wore in the living room, Spike was laying on the sofa while Jet sat in a chair.  
  
"Just, does he have to move his training equipment in with him."  
  
"There we go, perfect." I said as I installed my speed bag in the spacious room that I took over. It had a beautiful view of space outside.  
  
"Hey, he gave us some wulongs to pay for everything. Ed never did that." Spike said.  
  
"Ahh... I guess." Jet said.  
  
"This outta be fun." Spike said  
  
Late 


	4. Small Fry

Small Fry  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, CB, and any other company or product I may mention  
  
Not much has happened since I became a part of the Bebop's crew. Of course I've only been here for about three days. We've been living off of the bounty with Andrews even though we thought we would get charged with the buildings clean up. It turned out that some insurance company signed with Andrews so they got charged. I could see them crying out as the repo-men did some rearranging. It had to be about 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, the usual time for me to get my training in for about three to four hours.  
  
Faye walked around the empty, cold, metal halls of the Bebop wearing some loose gray sweats and a cut off sleeveless black shirt. Boredom was biting at her as she managed to find her way to Cloud's training room. She looked upon the equipment: Two speed bags, three heavy bags each one heavier than the other going from lightest to heaviest left to right, a padded foam white mat, a huge sword that had two small holes in them. One hole was filled with a green jewel while the one next to it had a gray jewel, and two double end bags both pretty small.  
  
"I'm sure he wont mind if I just play around a little. He said we're welcome to train with him." Faye said walking up to the small speed bag on the right. "Now let's see as this works, I heard it's all beat."  
  
Slowly Faye began to pound the bag with pinky side of her left fist, the bag bounced away, back, and away again.  
  
"Hmm. Catchy." She hit the bag twice each with a three bounce interval.  
  
She hit it three times, then four, then, five and then couldn't stop. She kept a slow steady beat pounding the bag once with both hands and sometimes two hits per hand.  
  
"I can do this with my eyes closed." Faye arrogantly said while stopping.  
  
Slowly she started up picking up speed. Her hands moved furiously then she hit the bottom of the bag causing it to bounce wildly. She had no chance of saving her rhythm.  
  
"Okay, no problem." Faye said.  
  
She started again and again after picking up some speed she lost her beat and hit the bottom the bag.  
  
"All right, just keep trying." Faye said surppresing frustration.  
  
Again she started, picked up speed and hit the bottom of the bag again.  
  
"Y'know it's no big deal, I'll do this some other time." Faye said walking away.  
  
But when she took five steps away she turned around.  
  
"Damn bag." She walked back up to it and with furious concentration began hitting the bag.  
  
She kept a beat better by tapping her left foot which was planted half a foot past her right. She started to pick up more speed and eventually surpassed her previous attempts.  
  
"Haha! I knew I'd beat this." Faye said while continuing to pound away at the bag.  
  
She began to move her hips with the beat of the bag, but she ended up hitting the bottom of the bag again.  
  
"Fuck!" She yelled.  
  
"Y'know." I said.  
  
"Argghhh!" She shrieked jumping back wide eyed. Looks like I caught her off guard.  
  
"Getting mad only makes it difficult." I said while putting my clear water bottle down next to the speed bag to the left of Faye.  
  
I took off my short sleeve Adidas gray shirt. I was wearing some black athletic pants with three white strips going from my waist down to the end of my pant legs. I was wearing some high tops white and black Adidas.  
  
"Wow, those scars." Faye said looking at the scars I've received since my journey to defeat Sephiroth.  
  
Remembering that name shot adrenaline through me as rage slightly built up.  
  
"How did you get them?" She asked reaching out to touch them.  
  
"Just a forget-me-not from my past." I said with a smirk.  
  
I began hitting the speed bag starting with my right fist and alternating with every hit.  
  
"You're pretty good." Faye said.  
  
"That he is." Spike said.  
  
"Damn! Doesn't anybody make sound anymore!" Faye yelled as she was yet again caught off guard.  
  
"Maybe you should start paying attention to your surroundings." Spike said.  
  
"Maybe you should leave me alone." Faye said with some attitude.  
  
"He's got a point." I said.  
  
I quit hitting the speed bag and looked back at Spike, he was only wearing some carolina colored loose pants, and some athletic Nikes that wore black and carolina. His hair was the usual green mess, like mine. A blonde spiky mess.  
  
"Why's everybody ganging up on me?" She asked.  
  
I didn't respond and went on to continue my work on the speed bag. Spike began practicing his moves on the mat and Faye went back to the speed bag. We all stayed in there to train.  
  
"Breakfast!" Jet yelled at the entrance of the training room.  
  
"All right." Me and Spike said at the same time.  
  
"I'm almost finished." Spike continued after hesitating.  
  
"Almost like brothers." Faye said.  
  
" What." We both began again.  
  
"Is it." I finished after an ackward hesitation.  
  
Jet stood there in the doorway for a second with a confused look on his face even though he had his shades on "Bacon and eggs."  
  
After about thirty minutes we finished training and breakfast. Jet went to the terminal to check out the latest bounty, we needed a quick little bounty to make sure we wore secure with our money.  
  
"Okay take a look, we've got a five million wulong reward for a Kennith Wulff or "The Candyman." 28 years old. Drug dealer gone rogue with a couple of pounds of coke." Jet informed.  
  
"How many?" I asked.  
  
"About 800 lbs. of pure powder." Jet said. "He's trying to sell it all so he can dissappear on Venus in Philadelphia 3."  
  
"Ohhh. That shit hole." Spike joked.  
  
"Not worse than Jersey." Faye said.  
  
I hadn't been off Aeris before so I just stayed quiet. After about three hours we departed Aeris' space by the gateway. We traveled through the jump which even though everybody except me wasn't glued to the windows watching the streaks of yellow go by in an amazing flash. Last time I saw something like this it almost killed me with Mako poisoning. As I sat by the window by myself in the dark Faye walked in.  
  
"You seem to be having fun." Faye said beyond bored.  
  
"I've never seen anything like it before, well once." I said not even looking towards her.  
  
"You'll get bored of it very soon." She said standing next to me.  
  
"So Cloud, why do your eyes glow like that?" Faye asked.  
  
"Jenova." I quietly said to myself.  
  
"Huh?" She asked.  
  
"Mako injection." I said pointing towards my neck on the right side.  
  
"Mako?" Faye asked.  
  
"It's an...energy source the people on Aeris used." I said trying to not sound like a maniac.  
  
"Energy? Why isn't it still used?" Faye asked.  
  
"It was a natural energy source, but it had a bad side-effect. It actually killed the planet slowly." I said now looking towards her. The room was lit by flashes of yellow.  
  
"Killed it! So can any planet use Mako?" She asked.  
  
"Hmm. I'm not the one to ask about that." I said.  
  
"Really. So you just got an injection for no reason?" She asked.  
  
This memories of my past wore starting to open old wounds. I had to think of a quick lie, I couldn't tell her I was a clone. I came to terms with my past fairly easily, I was surprised that Tifa accepted me even though I was basically the son of a mass murderer and born of science. Well it doesn't matter I'm here now.  
  
"Well." Faye said.  
  
"I was a soldier." I said. "All members wore injected with Mako. Enhances strengeth, speed, reaction time, intelligence, and anything else along those lines you can think of." I said.  
  
"Oh, so that's how you can identify each other?" Faye asked. "So why'd you join us anyway. Don't you have a significant other?"  
  
Why is she quizzing me?  
  
"Actually yeah I do." I said, the thought of Tifa hit me like a body shot. Of all the times she helped me get through some of the worest experinces of my life and some how I keep hurting her. Last time I called her I suggested she should forget about me and lead a normal life. She refused violently as she could over the phone, I expected that but I couldn't stand watching somebody in pain over me.  
  
"So what the hell are you doing here and not with her?" Faye asked.  
  
The nightmares still came, I really should try to see a shrink. I kept having dreams of Sephiroth, Aeris, beasts, and demons. All of my dreams usually ended with something being maimed or killed and me waking up sweating.  
  
"I did something really bad...something I have to handle before going back." I said.  
  
"How do you know she is still waiting for you?" Faye asked.  
  
"I know because every time I tell her to forget about me she starts yelling and screaming." I said chuckling. "And what about you and Spike?"  
  
"That arrogant, asshole!" Faye yelled. "Every time I try to be nice to him he always does something stupid."  
  
"Maybe he doesn't know how to respond to you." I said.  
  
"Maybe he is still in love with a corpse." She said.  
  
"Corpse, Spikes got one hell of a past huh?" I asked.  
  
"You wouldn't believe." Faye said.  
  
She went into a deep explination of past events she shared on the Bebop which took a very long time. By the time she finished we exited the gate and had already docked on Venus.   
  
"So where do we start?" I asked.  
  
Spike and I wore just leaving the ship docks. The area was indoors and had a high tech look, everything was made of some kind of blue allow. People crowded the area wearing various styles of clothes but all casual. The clean, neatly polished windows showed the yellowish sky outside. Small islands with heavy vegetation floated in the sky like gravity never existed. They released small white...somethings that floated lazily to the ground level like snow flakes.  
  
"I'll talk to the local shaman." Spike said putting his hands behind his head and walking off. He wore his usual blue suite with yellow shirt that was sloppily done.  
  
"Spike, Cloud!" Jet yelled our cell phones. "I'll shake down the ISSP for any info. Call me if you two find out anything."  
  
"Call me, I've got your backs." Faye said.  
  
"I'll talk to some contacts." I said as me and Spike split ways.  
  
I was wearing some blue Enyce jeans, a white and blue Enyce shirt, a pair of white nike high-tops, and a brown leather jacket, my brown leather holster was inside my jacket. The holster also had the magnetic camo sheath, I the sheath still had effect through the jacket, it held my murasame which I figured would be better to use, my hair was spiked as usual. I called an old reliable contact on my cell phone.  
  
"Hey Yuffie." I said.  
  
"Oh what ya need Cloud?" Yuffie asked.  
  
"Need some info on a Kennith "The Candyman" Wulff." I said.  
  
"Hold on."  
  
There was a long period of no talking, the only sound heard was typing.  
  
"Wow Cloud that's pretty small. Lose your confidence?" Yuffie teased more than asked.  
  
"Just a quick little bounty to get by." I said.  
  
As I walked through the crowded markets people wore purchasing items from all the stands. Little trinkets, meat, fruit, spices, whatever.  
  
"Okay Cloud, I've got a band of shinobis out there on Galbraith. You should spot them easily, they all have the Kisaragi brand on their neck and they're all Japanese. It'll cost four thousand wulongs." Yuffie informed.  
  
"Thanks, I'm on my way." I said.  
  
After about twenty minutes of searching, asking citizens, and dealing with some damn pick-pocket who had no idea what he was doing I finally found what I was looking for. The street was desolate and dark, almost like it was forsaken. Random street gangs stood on the side-walks, mainly blacks. I continued walking without making eye contact, I came upon a group of five men with the Kisaragi brand on their neck.  
  
"Yuffie sent me." I said.  
  
"Cloud, follow me." The leader said.  
  
He was wearing black boots, black jeans, a black sweater, and a black beanie. I and the rest of the men who wore basically dressed the same walked into the run-down red brick building that had to be six stories high. We walked into the basement past the previously white walls that wore now cracked and had water stains. The steps wore metal black grating, the basemant was just regular brick and had leaky pipes.  
  
"Money?" The leader asked as we came to a small wooden table with a single bulb hanging off a wire illuminating the room poorly.  
  
"Yeah." I said, we hooked up our wallets and I gave him my four thousand wulongs.  
  
"He hangs around Hillsdale dr. where he pushes from six o'clock to eleven o' clock. At eleven he heads to warehouse 17 in the Stephone lot we believe he stores is product there. Be careful though we believe he has a group that works for him to help push his product." He said.  
  
I pulled out my .50 and checked the clip. I had four other clips each with fifteen rounds. I reloaded the clip.  
  
"Thanks for the tip." I said and headed out to Hillsdale into the darkness to catch my bounty. It had to be around ten o'clock.  
  
"Hey Spike, got the tip. Go to Hillsdale dr." I said.  
  
"Yeah all right." Spike said, he seemed to have an ackward look and kind of pale.  
  
"Just make sure you stay unnoticed. This Wulff guy may have hired some men." I informed.  
  
Soon I came upon Hillsdale dr. that was right next to a rather large park. It had huge cement walls that had to be about twelve feet heart, no barb wire. Trees could be seen above the walls swaying gently in the wind. As I walked I saw some white guy wearing black jeans with red stitching, a red Johny Blaze sweater, a black beanie, and some black boots. He had to be about 6'2, 180lbs and was just resting against the wall just next to the corner where the wall turned left. Time to work.  
  
"Wonder why Spike looked so scared?" I thought.  
  
End Cloud.  
  
"So where do we start?" Cloud asked.  
  
"I'll talk to the local shaman." I said walking off with my hands behind my head.  
  
My fingers wove through my green, messy hair.  
  
"Spike, Cloud!" Jet yelled over our cell phones. "I'll shake down the ISSP for any info." Jet said. "Tell me if you two find out anything"  
  
"Call me, I've got your backs." Faye said.  
  
"I'll talk to some contacts." Cloud said and we split ways.   
  
The terminal was just the same as the last time I was there. The whole place was made of a blue alloy, the clear polished windows showed the yellow sky outside with the the floating islands. Little spores fell from the islands vegetation to the ground like snow. The people crowded the terminals doing random things. As I exited through the south exit I noticed hoe slow of a day it was. Normally people would be busy working or killing time, but there was only a thin crowd. There woren't even that many cars driving along the streets, I only noticed a couple of trucks and some regular cars pass by on my way to the shamans house. Ever since I saved Tomko's life on a mission I've always been good with them. After walking a three mile or so on the streets, past the markets, apartments, and office buildings I finally came upon the shaman's small hut.  
  
"Hey." I said walking in.  
  
"Hmm?" The old man said, he wore an ackward tan colored poncho, tribal beads, some pants that looked like they wore carved from deer hide, some basic tan colored shoes, and a small head band that was white with red tribal designs under his mostly grey hair that was tied into a french braid reaching his lower back. His leathery red face had an ackward look, like he wasn't expecting me. Normally these guys know when company is going to arrive before it arrives.  
  
"Something wrong old man?" I asked.  
  
His eyes grew wide like a dog just spoke. He began trembeling as his thin body backed away from me.  
  
"You...you can't exist." The old man said.   
  
He didn't know me or about my past I think. I've never seen him before.  
  
"You can't be here!" He yelled mainly out of fright.  
  
"Hey calm down." I said taking a step forward. I reached out with my left hand to show that I was harmless.  
  
"No!" He yelled running back and crashing into some of his random, mystic items. "You! You aren't bound by fate! You aren't human!"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked backing off.  
  
This was getting very strange, too strange for me.  
  
"You are starless! Fate doesn't know you! The universe doesn't believe you exist! You are invisible to the great spirits!" He yelled.  
  
"Okay I'm out!" I said walking out of his hut.  
  
"I can not allow you to live." The old man said quietly.  
  
I stopped with my back turned towards him and listened for a second. I began to walk agai after the silence, my boots tapped on the soft wood floor. Then I heard anothers, coming fast. Then the familiar sound of a blade being pulled from a sheath, the sound was short and sharp. A knife.  
  
"Don't do it old man." I said. "I will hurt you."  
  
"You must die, everything is out of order because of your kind." The man said.  
  
My kind? If I believed this bullshit then that would mean there's more than just me.  
  
"Everything must be put back into order. Your people must die!" The old man yelled running towards me.  
  
His footsteps became louder. I whipped around to my left while side stepping just before the stab found it's mark. We wore outside now and the few peope roaming the streets stopped to se the specticale.  
  
"So that's how it is?" I asked.  
  
He was about twelve feet away due to him stumbling after missing. He ran foward again, the knife which had looked more like a shiv in his right hand he stabbed forward again. I side stepped to my left and grabbed his wrist. Using his momentum I pulled him forward and brought out my right foot which conected with his right shin causing him to flip forward and land on his back. The air could be heard exiting his lungs upon impact this the hard, black pavement.  
  
"Y'know for an old guy you're in very good shape." I said.  
  
I began trotting backwards loosly shift both my arms back and forth while the right side of my led forward. I began to move foward and back four times then settled with my right hand nose level but open with my fingers pointing towards him and my left hand in a fist a little ways away from my nose. My legs wore a little beyond shoulder length after I grinded them into position. The old man ran foward again slashing horizontally left to right, I jumped back to barely avoid the silver blade. I wanted to keep in close range, again he tried to stab at my neck. I dodged left outside the stab while batting the strike away with my right hand which I clenched into a fist and launched a quick jab, left cross, then right hook to the body. The old man stepped back after the blows connected, he looked at the ground then fell to his knees, then collapsed out cold.  
  
"Didn't really want to do that." I said reflecting on my little battle.  
  
"Hey Spike, got the tip. Go to Hillsdale dr." Cloud said over our cell phones.  
  
"Yeah all right." I said.  
  
What was that old man talking about?  
  
"Just make sure you stay unnoticed, this Wulff guy may of hired some men." Cloud said and then cut contact.  
  
Better get my ass down there then.  
  
End Spike.  
  
I walked to the wall close to the corner as possible without being seen. He would know I'm not an addict in a second. I looked around, the neighborhood looked rough. Old shabby projects, people standing out of these buildings talking and drinking, I haven't seen a cop come through in a while. A group of four men all latin wore standing across from Wulff, they all looked rough but I could probable deal. I diguised my voice as good as I could to sound like an addict, it was only more high-pitched, stuttered more, and sounded a little scratchy.  
  
"Hey man I heard you're the one to talk to if you wanna score some." I said while pulling my .50 from it's holster, it shined dimly in the street light nearby. A brown classic car drove by blarring rap music.  
  
"How much you need?" He asked in a cool tone.  
  
"I-I need." I started to speak in my real voice.  
  
"Five." I began turning the corner with my .50 in my left hand rising from the relaxed position it was in by my thigh.  
  
"Million." I turned farther with the gun almost completely raised up.  
  
"Wulongs worth." I finished with the .50 pointed at his head.  
  
He had a shocked look and was slightly crouched down, his brown eyes wore wide and the cigerat in his mouth was on the side walk now.  
  
"You wouldn't mind taking a little trip with me would ya?" I joked. "Move."   
  
My eyes picked up a sudden movement to my right, the latinos on the side walk wore pulling out something. .45's damn it was his men, they wore watching over him. I predicted this as a possible outcome so I was prepaired.  
  
"Get that bitch." One said, he was tall and huge. 6'6 300 lbs easily with corn rows and was the perfect target.  
  
He pulled out a silver .45. I fired on him first while running back around the corner. The wind rustled my hair and blew past my ears as the sound of gunfire crcked into the night sky. Two shots both connected to the torso, one below the left pec the other around the intestines. I caught a quick look at the damage, part of his chest was torn off and blood squirted from the wounds.  
  
"Oh fuck! He got Raul!" One yelled in a panicked voice.  
  
"You fuck I'm gonna kill you!" Another yelled out of rage.  
  
I looked up at the wall, I could hear footsteps of three people. I could handle them but I didn't have time, I hope Spike made it here in time. I ran up the wall with two steps then grabbed the top and quickly pulled myself up.  
  
"Holy shit he's gone." A man said with an amazed tone.  
  
"The fuck!" Another said.  
  
I silently landed in the pitch black park. I could only make out shadows of shapes but it was enough. I took off in a full sprint down the direction Wulff went, I had to get out of the park without having to find an exit. I continued to run on the soft grass and soild, past bushes and trees till I came upon a tree very close to the wall. I ran a litlle farther till I was in range. I jumped on the tree anout five feet off the ground, then bounded off towards the wall. I pivoted my right hand on the wall and threw my body over landing still in full sprint. I pulled out my phine from my jeans right pocket.  
  
"Spike you get Wulff?" I asked hurriedly.  
  
"No, I'm not even there yet." Spike said.  
  
"All right. Go to Stephon Lot and post up near warehouse 17." I commanded in full sprint, I had one more call to make. "Faye!" I yelled.  
  
"What, what?" She asked lazily.  
  
"Need you now!" I yelled. "Stephon lot warehouse 17! We need your fire power and we got a bounty to transport!"  
  
"Be there in a minute!" She yelled.  
  
Gotta hurry.  
  
End Cloud  
  
"All right. Go to Stephon Lot and post up near warehouse 17." Cloud said.  
  
He hung up, sounded like he was running. Something must have happened, I needed a ride, Stephon lot was a good distance away. Lucky for me where I was traffic picked up some.  
  
"Taxi!" I yelled waving a hand in the air towards the yellow car. It merged out of traffic and pulled up next to me.  
  
"Where you wanna go?" The man asked. He was very over weight and was wearing some slacks with polo shirt. He was a white guy in his forties or fifties since he was balding and the hair left in a horse shoe fashion was a mix of brown and gray.  
  
"Stephon Lot." I said hopping in the passenger, rear door.  
  
The interior wasn't that bad, black leather seats and it had a fresh scent that I couldn't place. After ten minutes of driving the taxi parked on the rode outside the lot and I exited after paying him the right amount. I had to hide somewhere to get the drop on Wulff.  
  
"You there yet Spike?!" Cloud asked.  
  
"Yeah, the front entrance." I said quietly.  
  
After a little bit of panting from Cloud.  
  
"I'm at the rear." Cloud quietly said.  
  
"He's coming up on you, be ready." Cloud said.  
  
I looked around for a hiding space. The warehouses wore close together on the back side which is probably where Wulff would enter. The front side had a grey garage style door that was huge, the warehouse had to be about two stories and it was run down. Rust, and water stains spotted the warehouse. The pipes hanging off the building wore slightly dented, the windows wore only on the second floor and ware caked in grime, but you could tell the lights wore on.  
  
"Spike I'm near but where do you want me to land?" Faye asked from her Red Tail.  
  
Cloud must have called her.  
  
"Anywhere close but you wont be seen." I said running to the back entrance to the warehouse.  
  
Me and Cloud could probably cut this guy off and drag him out silently. As I snuck into the hall alley between warehouses 16 and 17 I heard footsteps approach fast, splash in puddles in the dark grimy alley. Rats infested this place and garbage was everywhere you moved, there wore a couple of dumpsters large and small. This was gonna finally end.  
  
End Spike  
  
I stayed hidden in the darkness behind warehouse 17 next to a large dumpster. I heard Wulff's foot steps coming rapidly, I was hoping that Spike was hiding on the side between warehouses 16 and 17 waiting for Wulff. As the footseps drew closer I waited till...now. I sprang up holding my .50 with both hands left covering right.  
  
"Don't move." I quietly said.  
  
Wulff froze about fifteen feet from me. He turned around quickly only to meet Spike emerging from the shadows with his glock in his right hand.  
  
"Walk with us." Spike said.  
  
This bounty was bagged. Suddenly a man walked out of the rear warehouse entrance. The red door swung opend as a thin, blonde, young, white man stepped out for a smoke. He wore some brown Dickies, a white shirt, and some brown boots. I quickly whipped around and trained my gun on him. He pulled out a pack of cigarets then froze as he saw me with my gun on him. He never closed the door.  
  
"Hey, man something wrong?" A man inside thw warehouse asked.  
  
I mouthed out "nothing" to him but he just stood there.  
  
"Yo man you all right?" Another asked.  
  
He stood there, then.  
  
"Bounty hunters!" He yelled to his comrades.  
  
He attempted to pull out a small revolver but he never got the chance. One shot sprang from my gun into the right side of his chest, probably hit a lung. Blood erupted from the exit wound onto the door along with chunks of meat. Wulff took off in the comotion, another shot sounded then a scream. Spike shot Wulff in the leg as he sprinted down the hallway.  
  
"Spike get him!" I commanded. "I got this!"  
  
I reloaded my gun while running down the alley way to get some distance and hide behind a huge green dumpster. Eight men pilled out of the warehouse all wearing the same blue factory worker jump suite, like mechanics which was probably their front. The bounty was only on Wulff so these hired guns could be taken out.  
  
"Where is he?" A man asked.  
  
No witnesses wore around and I had to handle this fast to collect the bounty and get out of here. I grabbed my sword with my right hand, quickly I peaked out to my left to see the men and there general area. I held my left hand up loosly by my face and focused.  
  
"Hey what's that?" A man asked.  
  
I had just about finished as the brilliant green light circled me. I felt the all magic materia's power course through me for a second. I spun to my left and casted the spell.  
  
"Fire3." I said with a smirk.  
  
"Dust AAAAARRGGGHHHHH!" All of the men shrieked in pain as the alley was lit with a fiery explosion that torched the bodies and erupted into the sky. I walked off through the alley between warehouse 14 and 15 as cinders from burnt news papers and other papers glowed as they drifted to the ground like feathers. The smell of burnt flesh was heavy in the air as ashes wore blown with the wind.  
  
"Spike you got him?" I asked.  
  
"Yep!" Spike yelled over the roaring engine of the Red Tail.  
  
"Yeah buddy." I said walking towards the vibrant lights in the middle of a four way intersection. Traffic was stopped as the Wulff was pinned down by Spike and Faye.  
  
We went on to collect our bounty Venus' authorities. A cool five million.  
  
"First thing I'm gonna do is buy some new spark plugs for my bike." I said remembering the last time I drove it how the spark plug blew out. And getting my share of the cash.  
  
"Yay! I'm going shopping!" Faye yelled excitedly as she got her cash then ran off.  
  
"Go for a drink?" Jet asked Spike as we went back to the Bebop to get our rides.  
  
It was mid-day now and the streets wore much busier than yesterday. Horns honked, people cursed, kids cried, and engines roared. Before departing the Bebop in Heaven's Cloud I had something to do first.  
  
"Hey Tifa." I said quietly in my room as Faye blasted pop music in the shower while Jet and Spike waited.  
  
"Cloud, where are you?" Tifa asked.  
  
"Venus babe." I said.  
  
"How?" She asked.  
  
"Made some new friends. Listen I can send you more money now and..." I was cut off.  
  
"When are you coming home?" Tifa asked.  
  
"I will, I don't know when but I will I promise you that." I said.  
  
"Still having nightmares?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah. Tifa they're getting worse, I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm gonna figure this out one day and I'll promise I'll never leave you again." I said.  
  
"Cloud...you better come back to me or I'll hunt you down myself." She said.  
  
"So how's everything?" I asked.  
  
"All right, the dojo's going good and so's cooking for the Velvet Hammer." She said.  
  
"Oh, good good. So you're doing well?" I asked.  
  
"Of course. Cloud, Red XIII wants to speak with you the next chance he gets all right." She said.  
  
"Okay. I love you." I said.  
  
"Love you too." Tifa said and we hung up.  
  
Author's note: Whew, it's been a while. Thanx for all of those who reviewed I really needed the motivation. Seriously appreciate it, and if you would please have a look at Devil's Fantasy. If you like this you'll like Soldier's aight  
  
Late 


	5. Blind Fury

Blind Fury

Disclaimer: I own any business or company or character I may mention

"C'mon Cloud. You're getting weaker." A voice chided.

The voice was horrible, familiar, pissed me off unbelievable. It was dark, damn near pitch black. A white mist was rising from the ground, which made no sense but nothing here did. I couldn't explain how I got here or why I didn't care or who was talking to me. It was like being in a maze I was looking down a long narrow hall that split left and right in front of me. I reached back and felt my Buster sword, I pulled it from it's place on my back. I had my old purple uniform on.

"Giving up already Cloud?" A deep voice asked, more like teased really.

I took off in a full sprint to catch the voice, turning left I saw the tail of a black leather coat just turn another corner right, just ahead of me. I sprinted in pursuit and rolled into rather run straight up into the turn to avoid a possible attack.

"Cloud! C'mon you're boring me!" The voice was getting angry.

I sprinted after the voice, turning right at the T intersection. Then left, left, right, straight.

"Good Cloud, almost there." The voice informed.

I didn't care to answer I just wanted to find the voice. My foot steps pounded heavily against what sounded like metal grating. I caught another glimpse of a black coat turning. I hit the right turn and froze in my tracks. I had finally caught up to the voice, he was facing me with his extremely long sword in his right hand. He took the sword and drove it into the ground, he then took an awkward fighting stance. It really wasn't a stance actually, he kept hopping back and forth shift his legs and swinging his arms. I took my Buster sword in hand and threw it into the ground. I brought my hands up by my face and clenched them softly. I scanned the room, still black, mist and all, it was large with nothing to block the way. Reminded me of somewhere I once was when I last faced him.

"C'mon Seph. Show me whatcha got." I said staring down Sephiroth..

End Cloud

"Spike, don't tell me you've allowed yourself to slow down?" A voice asked.

"Huh?" I recognized the voice but my mind felt blank. I really didn't care to think about where I was or why I was dressed in my usual blue uniform in such an awkward place.

I was looking down an all white hall that branched left and right only a voice guiding me.

"Spike hurry up we finish this now!" The voice yelled.

I followed the voice right only to see some silver hair just take a left turn. I took off following it down the narrow hallways. I lost track of all the turns but it was winding I thought it wouldn't end.

"Almost there." The voice said.

I took another left and was faced with a man I thought I'd never see again.

"Vicious!" I yelled.

Vicious didn't respond, I began hoping back and forth shifting my legs and loosely waving my hands. Vicious took his sheathed sword into his left hand and threw it to his left. He tucked his jaw and took an orthodox stance bringing his hands up to his face, eye level and clenching them softly. I ran at Vicious as fast as I could and he sprinted towards me. I lept into the air launching a swift left kick, Vicious dodged right and countered with a back left kick aimed at my head. I rolled forward dodging his counter. Crouching I pivoted on my right hand and launched my body upward spinning left I lifted my hand up and kicked with my right boot towards his head. He ducked under and backflipped away, I landed on my feet and wiped around to face him. He ran towards me stopped and threw two left jabs, which I blocked and dodged right. He launched a right hook that I ducked under, a left elbow I blocked, then a leaping uppercut. I blocked the blow but the amazing force behind it forced me to slide back about three feet, he ran forward and threw a right elbow again with incredible force using his whole body I blocked again which slid me back.

I couldn't guard against these attacks forever. Vicious lept into the air from a sprint and spun left with a more downward force and looped a right kick down towards my face. I jumped back and landed on my hands behind my shoulders curling my legs in dodging the blow that crushed the ground, as it hit the ground softly I kicked back up with both my legs launching an attack at his ribs since he was turned sideways. He ducked low and avoided the blow as I flew past him. He reached out and grabbed my collar with his right hand I knew he was about to strike so I wiped around to strike before him or at least at the same time. I stared him in the eyes with my right fist raised and clenched about to launch a blow.

"Cloud! Spike!" A female voice yelled.

Everything was sent an unbelievable blaze as light flooded my vision. Everything was blurry as my eyes began to adjust. As my vision cleared I saw who was in my grasp.

"Cloud?" I said confused.

End Spike.

""Cloud?" Spike asked confused.

"Spike?" I said confused

What the hell just happened, I was just fighting Sephiroth and now I'm fighting Spike. This was another dream, again I was dreaming of something violent and acting it out in real life it was like sleep walking except with attempted murder they wore getting worse. Something wasn't right.

"The hell are you two doing?!" Faye asked incredible pissed off since we woke her up.

She still was wearing that green mask crap that women wear I've never understood that, she had her pink robe on.

"Ahh uhhh." Spike attempted to think up some lie.

"Training." I said confidently.

"... Stop!" Faye yelled before storming off.

Me and Spike looked at eachother both wearing our sleep attire which was basically loose pants and no shirt.

"... Never happened." I said letting go of Spikes shoulder.

"Talk about this later." Spike said walking off.

Damn Spike can fight.

About three hours more of sleeping I awoke at eight o'clock.

Yawn! "Man... still sleepy." I said rising out of bed.

I threw the white sheets off of me and looked around my room. I stared at the picture me and Tifa took on our first actual date at the Gold Saucer, I remember how excited she was and didn't seem to calm down even though I didn't want to go. She was wearing a carolina blue shirt that was sort of tight on her, nothing surprising, and had very short sleeves. I remember the back of the shirt spelt "Fighter" she loved that shirt. I was wearing a mainly blue polyester suite with a white stripe on the sides going down the sleeve and pants with a yellow stripe in between the white one with a white sleeveless shirt under it. In the picture she was basically climbing on my head, we wore sitting down... well I was she stood over me with her left hand in my hair pushing me down with her right hand waving at the camera. I loved her smile and the way her eyes look when she's happy, while I was trying to look up and yell while she was shoving me.

"No time to mope around." I said getting out of bed.

The room was medium size with blue metal walls, two bar lights above me illuminating the room, a small computer terminal which also acted as my TV, a rack for all my c.d.'s, and some pictures of me and my friends framed up and put on my dresser where I kept some of my clothes I put the rest in my closet. I stretched quickly before walking to the door.

"Huh?" I said as the door to my room slid open.

"Sit down!" Spike yelled barging into my room somewhat pissed off.

"Uh okay." I said stepping back from Spike and sitting on my bed.

"What the hell was that?" Spike asked quieter.

"... What?" I asked even if I had a good idea where this was going.

"I go to sleep happy in my bed and wake up in the middle of a fight with you. I'm not too sure about you but the last couple of weeks... well actually months I been having weird dreams. Sometimes waking up in different rooms, sweating, screaming. Each dream has to do with killing and maiming, and unless you wake up at three o'clock a.m. to train then I'm guessing you've been having problems too." Spike said with a serious tone.

"You've only had them for a few months I've had them for over a year. I hurt the woman I love, and she refuses to give up on me even when I tell her. These dreams have hurt me and her so fucking much." I said reflecting on the past, my tone must have sounded harsh.

"But other than that I have no idea." I said cheerfully. "Maybe something wants us dead."

"?!" Spike inhaled with a surprise like he just realized something.

Without saying a word Spike left, but I could guess me an him wore thinking the same thing. Something was going on here that was bigger then just an average problem. Even if we couldn't really identify it something... unordinary was happening.

"Hey break... eh?" Jet sad confused usually Spike or Cloud wore training around now and sometimes Faye, but they weren't in the training room. "Yo breakfast!" Jet yelled through the ship.

"Mmmm, food." I said exiting the bathroom. I walked into the living room where Jet had some left over, casserole, thing, stuff lying on the table.

"... Meh whatever." I said as I grabbed some chop sticks and dug into the multi-colored food. It wasn't all that bad.

Faye and Spike walked into the room at the same time which was weird because both of them wore about five minutes late.

"What the hell is that?" Spike asked looking at the food.

"No way in hell, that can't be healthy." Faye said disgusted.

"Hey quit complaining it's not too bad." I said with a mouth half full of food.

"Fuck no!" Spike said. "That's gotta be bad for the kidneys!"

"Not much of a choice." Jet spoke finally while leaning against a wall.

"Bullshit what happened to all the money from Andrews!" Faye yelled irritated while taking a step towards Jet and swing her left arm down wildly.

"Horse races, casino, expenses mainly. Engines do cost money along with the A/C and basically everything else. The ship's running optimal though!" Jet said unusually happy about the work done to his ship. "Oh and Cloud doing whatever." Jet said dismissivley while waving his right hand lazily.

"... You sure?" Faye asked curiously.

"Yes." Jet replied.

"Positive?" Faye again asked.

"Yeah" Jet said.

"... Totally?" Faye asked... again.

"Yes." Jet growled annoyed.

"Because I..." Faye began.

"Dammit we're broke!" Jet yelled.

Just as Jet yelled the motor for the A/C shut down completely causing the lights to flicker.

"Eh, the money wasn't going to last forever." Spike said.

"About time we started another hunt I've been kinda bored." I said finishing my food.

End Cloud.

"Maybe something wants us dead." Cloud said cheerfully trying to lighten the mood.

Then it hit me, the old shaman who tried to kill me. He spoke to me referring to my people, could Cloud be one. He's been having nightmares to that he acts out and they've been growing increasingly violent. I never ask anybody about their past because it only causes more trouble but maybe I should ask Cloud about it. Maybe he's starless like me, maybe the universe or fate wants us dead? And maybe I'm a fucking goose this is bullshit. I left the room in deep thought. I couldn't shake the feeling that something more important was going on here possibly dangerous. Could be fun.

"Huh?" I looked back to see Faye standing behind me curiously.

"Spike are you alright?" She asked rather concerned.

"Yeah why?" I asked.

There was a long silence where engine roar filled the dark hallway.

"I saw you last night, or earlier today." Faye said looking around not making eye contact but still putting on a tough bravado.

"Yeah I know, sorry about waking you up." I said wondering where this was going.

"No... before." Faye's bravado was wearing away she seemed concerned. "You wore running through the hallways like you wore chasing after somebody. You looked like you weren't even awake, like instinct told you where to go. I decided to follow you and when you faced off with Cloud you mumbled something about Vicious while Cloud said something about a Sephiroth. It was weird, you two seemed like you hated eachother until I interrupted." Faye said.

"It was nothing don't..." She cut me off.

"Don't lie to me!" Faye yelled.

"..." I didn't really know what to say.

"What's the matter Spike why do you have to do everything alone?" Faye asked, though she wasn't on the verge of crying.

"Because it's my problem." I said.

"I'm tired of this lone wolf shit!" Faye yelled.

"I'm tired of you getting in my business!" I yelled back.

"You need to quit taking everything on by yourself!" Faye shrieked.

"And you need to WHA!" I tried to jump back but Faye grabbed me in a tight embrace.

"I don't want you to die again Spike." She said burying her face in my chest.

Without much thought I relaxed and let my left arm fall to my side while my right brushed her hair.

"I'm... I'm sorry." I said.

"Yo breakfast!" Jet yelled.

Faye let go and gave me one long look like she was trying to explain or show me something. Then she walked off to the living room with me close behind.

End Spike.

After I finished my... food I guess I walked back into my room to change. I put on a sky blue Jordan valor suite with dark blue lining. As I walked back into the living room Jet pulled out the monitor.

"Let's see what we got." Jet said while turning on the monitor and sitting back on the couch.

I was sitting on the right side leaning forward, Spike was on the left slouching into the couch, Jet was sitting in the middle smoking a cigarette, while Faye was leaning behind Jet. We looked on as Jet surfed the bounty hunters web site to claim a bounty.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." Jet said with some input from Faye and Spike. "Hmmm?" Apparently something caught Jet's attention. "Eight million wulongs for a Mandel Marshal."

"I'm game." I said.

"Good to go." Spike said.

"Why not?" Faye asked.

"Alright then." Jet said backing up. "Usual contacts, he's on... TJ." Jet seemed to lose some steam with the location.

"Hate that place." Spike said while reflecting on something.

"Well we aren't that far away, few hours." Jet said walking off to the bridge followed by Spike.

"So... Cloud." Faye tried to make some convo.

"Eh?" I looked towards her while standing up.

"Uh that woman still waiting on you. Who is she?" Faye asked.

"Tifa." I said.

"Tifa like Tiffany or something?" Faye asked getting more comfortable.

She's getting curious again. "No her names Tifa, Tifa Lockheart." I said thinking about her, I wanted to see her again.

"So how longs she been waiting for you anyway?" She asked.

I was a little unsure about answering this given the possible response. I scratched the back of my head and gave a nervous smile. "About a year now." I said.

"Holy shit how can you do that!" Faye yelled. "Any other girl really should've left you damn she's probably dying right now!"

"Hey try not to be so loud." I said with a chuckle.

"Well damn she must have some discipline to wait over a year without you, or a man period she's probably about to lose it now." She said.

She's right, any other woman would've walked away especial for a fucked up individual like me even when I try not to hurt Tifa I hurt her. My mood died right there I felt depressed. My head went down and my shoulders slouched.

"Oh crap did I upset you?" Faye said putting a hand on my shoulder.

"No it's alright, just thinking about a few things nothing serious" I said walking back to my room, I had to prepare, but I had an awkward feeling something was wrong

End Cloud.

Jet walked to the bridge to set course for TJ I figured I would help him.

"Yo Spike, whatcha think about Cloud?" Jet asked.

"He's cool." I said walking over to a terminal, the only illumination was from the terminals that gave off a blue light.

"Seems to get along with everybody pretty well." Jet said while typing.

"What's wrong Jet sad because you two ain't buddies." I teased.

"He seems like he's got a serious past, he's not your run-of-the-mill soldier, he's done some serious shit from watching the cams on your zip-craft, he just seems like he's hiding something. Like a side we ain't seen yet y'know." Jet said.

"Heh you're probably right." I said remembering how Faye explained him running from her vulcan or when he jumped from one car to another and I swear when I fired on him he should've been hit. Maybe Jet was right.

Two days later.

The sun beat down on me, I swear this place is always hot. I slouched against the side of a rundown building in the middle of a barrio folding up my sleeves to my yellow dress shirt and carrying my blue jacket on my shoulder. Kids wore playing games like baseball or tag in the old streets, A rough looking man jogged past me, looked like a boxer or something this place produces them. The streets wore full of merchants, people, and a few cars. Noise filled the air.

"C'mon where are you?" I said to myself

The plan was to catch Mandel when he leaves this building. It was a pretty beat up three story, this guy was wanted for pimping and drug dealing on a large scale, but after an attempted sting by the police that he escaped he's been on the run still dangerous though probably had some men left but not many.

"Okay we meet up tonight at 6720 Wakefield dr. don't forget." A voice said barely audible.

I sighed then pulled out my Glock.

"Ready Faye?" I asked over our cells.

"Go time. Ready Cloud?" Faye asked.

"Got your backs." Cloud said.

Faye was across the street wearing some very short denim Apple Bottom shorts and a tight purple Ecko shirt that reviled her lower stomach. I saw her pulling out her Glock and checking the ammo

"Mmm." I hummed looking at her.

As for Cloud he's there to stop any escapes. I wasn't too sure where he was.

"I'll be there." A man said walking out of the building with Mandel, he wore a nice suite, looked expensive giving evidence he was a high roller and was in pretty good shape. He didn't have a bounty on him that I knew of so he wasn't important. Mandel was going more low key with some street clothes, phat farm shirt, shorts, and shoes. He had a very muscular build

"Excuse me." I said smoothly.

"Eh?" Mandel asked.

"I was wondering if you could help me out." I said getting off the building and standing before him.

"What's this cat want? Get the fuck outta here." Mandel said blowing me off.

"It's not hard." I said keeping the convo going for the perfect opportunity.

"You dumb I said get outta here." Mandel said irritated.

"I was just wondering if you could help me." I pulled out my Glock and aimed at his face "Pay a couple bills." I said coolly, Mandel's face went from bad ass to scared. "You can go." I said to the man walking with him. He would probably call for help but it would be too late anyway.

"Spike down!" Faye yelled.

I ducked low as a man attempted to attack me from behind I rolled foreword. and jumped up kicking behind me striking the man in his face with my boots. It was some hood, he was white with short hair and medium build wearing some blue jeans and a white shirt. His head snapped back as he stumbled. The man with Mandel pulled out a silver pistol I didn't see what it was. The light gleamed off his weapon as he began aiming it towards me. A loud shot rang out and he feel over as blood shot from his neck some tearing away with the bullet. I turned back around and began hopping up while moving my arms loosely to find my beat. The other man ran towards me with his right fist raised, I dodged left as his fist was launched at me with a smirk.

"Whoa." I said, jokingly while hopping back.

He threw a left hook that I ducked under then I leaned back avoiding a right hook which was really compact this guy knew what he was doing. I stepped back again he came at me with another flurry of left and right a total of four. I dodged outside all of them I was done toying with him. I threw a quick left jab that connected cleanly with his right eye, I quickly followed with a straight right, then a spinning left kick that crushed his chin. He flew back and landed in a heap on the ground. The people mainly cleared out while some stayed to watch. A black sedan type car power slid the left turn behind me. I looked back as the car whipped a quick 180 changing lanes as Mandel jumped in the back seat and they drove of down the old road dodging cars while the people looked on confused.

"Shit Cloud move your ass they went west!" I yelled in my cell.

"I'm gone!" Cloud said as the roar of an engine sounded.

I looked towards Faye who was in the middle of the road with her gun aimed at the car. The man I knocked down was beginning to stir I stomped behind me driving my foot into his stomach. Cloud flashed by on his black bike he called Fenrir with two swords in the sheathes of the bike. The sun reflected off of his black helmet, He ducked down to cut off some wind resistance

"Cloud's got this!" I yelled to her running to my zip craft.

She nodded and followed behind me.

End Spike.

"I'm gone!" I yelled as I turned the ignition on my bike

I put on my helmet wearing some black akademics jeans and a yellow matching akademics shirt. I pulled back on the throttle revving the engine and pocketed my phone. I released the clutch end my tires screeched as smoke exploded from them. I pulled out of the alley and took a right down the street. Avoiding cars I accelerated and upshifted three gears, I leaned left as my tires started to break traction with me turning. I let off the throttle and pulled back again exiting the turn and down shifting. The sun was directly in my eyes but the tinted visor protected my vision. I saw Faye and Spike look towards me as I shot past them I dodged left past a pick up and right past a white old car. I saw a black car with tinted windows power slide a right turn, had to be him. I dodged left past a truck carrying fruit, drifting right I squeezed between an old sedan and a diesel. I let off the throttle as I leaned in for a quick right turn. Buildings blurred by as I continued to accelerate, people turned to watch my pursuit we wore driving by a channel and the sun reflected off the water as the guard rail sped by. The yellow line on the road streamed by. I was gaining on Mandel, I passing a car with another in front of me that was slowing down. I passed between the two before they came side to side barely avoiding a wreck. My adrenaline was pumping now as I neared Mandel, he was changing into the right lane towards the freeway entrance. I was only a car's length away now, with my left hand I pulled out my Buster sword from the front of my bike where I kept my swords and drifted more to the right. I continued to gain till I was next to Mandel's car and lifted my Buster sword with the tip facing his front left tire. Before I could thrust the sedan smashed the brakes.

"Shit!" I yelled as the car fell behind me in a flash.

I turned left sharply and hit my rear brakes. The tires screeched as I turned 90 degrees on front of Mandel's car. I let off the rear brake and hit the front break while turning the throttle breaking rear wheel traction and sending me spinning to a complete 180 just avoiding Mandel's ride as they tried to run me down. He shot past me and onto the freeway. I accelerated foreword to put some distance between the cement barrier. I put my left foot down and popped the clutch to turn around, again the tires schreeched and smoke shot out as I took off onto the freeway. The roads were wide as cement walls rose up to the regular roads, traffic wasn't too bad. Mandel gained some distance on me but my bike would catch him wish, I could use magic though. I leaned foreword to cut some wind resistance and pulled the throttle, changing gears when needed I closed the gap between me and Mandel. He sharply pulled right using another car to block me, I dodged left and went back into the lane. He tried to smash the car into me which gave me the opportunity I need again pulling out my Buster sword from it's place with my left hand I pointed the tip at his driver side front tire and thrusting cross body I pierced the tire causing it to explode into debris. I accelerated past the car as it began to lose control and sharply spun left, the speed it was traveling caused it to flip over and spin once in the air. I quit looking back as shards of glass and some metal exploded from the accident. I hit my rear breaks and turned left while putting my foot down along with letting my sword drag causing sparks to rise from the friction the tires wailed as I slid to a stop. Pulling off my helmet I pulled out my cell phone.

"Hey Faye I got him." I said walking over to the wreckage.

Besides from a little bloody and missing his left index finger Mandel was alright. The sound of sirens grew loud as traffic slowly drove by. The car ended up on it's roof, all the glass was crushed the metal bent and pieces of the car spread across the roads. I looked out at the setting sun trying not to think of the interrogation I was gonna get.

Three hours later.

"He tried to run me down and I did something about it." I said to the young male officer.

"How much longer is this gonna take?" Spike asked.

Faye had already left and was probably comfortable back on the ship. It was already night the stars shined in the sky with city lights. Traffic was pretty bad as the clean up was just finishing. I looked down the road at a huge tanker.

"So am I getting billed for this?" I asked hoping he'd say no.

Again I looked at the tanker, then back at the officer.

"Probably not given that you're a bounty hunter now just take this and cash in your at the police station." The officer said handing my a check.

"Sweet, thanks man take it easy." I said shaking the officers hand.

I looked down the road at the blue and gray tanker, it wasn't slowing down.

"Aw fuck." I said looking at the heavy piece of machine about to tear threw traffic.

All the officers turned just as I said that noticing the huge beast. They all began to clear out while yelling at people in their cars to run. I ran and dove over the divider as did Spike landing on the rough hard cement, head lights streaked by but we were safe. I listened as the sound of terrible screams and crushing metal filled the night. The loud wail of tires from cars being pushed and other vehicles flipping over and landing with a crunch. Glass being crushed was also heard then as everything began to stop I heard the sound of something heavy tipping over, it moaned loudly and then finally the loud bash of a tanker landing on it's side. I peeked up to look at all the carnage, there were fires and dead bodies spread about, some live people climbing out their mangled cars, and other people who managed to avoid the accident were running down the street away from the scene. I looked on as some people mourned over dead bodies and officers calling for medics.

"Holy hell." I said climbing back over the divider.

"What the fuck just happened?" Spike asked.

"Everybody you have to get out now!" An officer yelled obviously frightened.

I looked at the side of the cargo, it was fuel. I should've known that was gonna happen. I could've have predicted it with my luck. I looked across the street at my motorcycle, guess I spoke too soon, it wasn't harmed.

"Spike get outta here!" I yelled.

He ran towards the Swordfish which he parked a little distance away. I ran to my bike when I noticed something on the road above. He was looking on calmly like it was nothing, but that was only a piece of what caught my attention. He was sporting short shoulder length silver hair and a tattoo on his right forearm, he wore a trench coat which was thrown into the air as he turned around. Without taking a step he looked back down directly at me and let a smirk show. He showed resemblance to Sephiroth aside from the givens. He raised his arm into the air and stood there for a minute. I looked back at the tanker only to see the metal around the rear slowly turn red. I jumped into Fenrir and turned the ignition, I wish I could've said something to the people there. Putting on my helmet I revved the engine and took off following the path the diesel had carved swerving past the wreckage and fires also avoiding a person or two. The sound of an explosion rocked the night, I felt the vibrations through the ground and felt some of the heat against my back. Other explosion rocked the ground, all of the other cars were exploding too causing a chain reaction not what I wanted to happen. The explosion were deafening and it seemed to shake my vision. I was beginning to top out and the flames were gaining on me, the path was straight so there wasn't much danger of losing control. My heart was pounding with excitement, maybe I wasn't gonna make it. The explosion were getting closer, right behind me, my teeth wore grinding, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I was almost there, everything was only a blur, tunnel vision was taking over. As I shot past the last cars and down the open road. The heat left my body as I slowed down, eventually coming to a stop. I was breathing heavily looking on at the flames, I got off Fenrir and sat down next to it listening to the sounds of the engine cooling.

"Good Cloud... you didn't disappoint me." A voice said.

I looked to my right as the man I was earlier was standing about twenty feet away.

"You killed all of them to get to me?" I asked, right now I wanted him dead but kept my cool.

"You killed our father I killed the people you protect." He said arrogantly.

My eyes grew wide as more adrenaline pumped into my veins. I looked at his right forearm, 65. He was in extraordinary shape I could tell even if he was wearing a black leather trench coat with black pants and shoes, under the coat was a gray shirt. I looked at his eyes, they wore completely white. He was blind.

"So what now?" I asked standing up and grabbing my Buster sword off it's magnetic sheath. I brought it over to the Fenrir and placed it in it's sheath then grabbed Heaven's Cloud changing the materia I took a few practice swings.

"I complete the test." He said pulling out a small sized black poll from his coat. Pressing a button in the middle of the grip it extended to about nine feet. He took out a spear head and fixed it at the top of the weapon. The spear head was about a foot long with a white ribbon extending from it.

I settled the sword into my usual middle stance and he held his spear over his head pointing down. I inched closer, even with a long blade I was at a reach disadvantage. My boots grinded on the surface of the road as I came closer.

"What's your name anyway?" I asked, figured if I was gonna try to kill him I could at least know who he is, mass murder t get to me was actually kinda flattering in a sick way.

"Fury." He said with a smirk.

"Weird name, never knew anybody named Fury." I said still inching closer.

"Code name from my old unit." He said beginning to move closer. "Ever since this happened." He said pointing towards his eyes with his left hand. "I was known as Blind Fury."

We were within range now. He lunged forward and jabbed twice with his spear, blocking one strike I ducked another swinging over his spear towards his torso I swiped the blade down, Fury pulled on his spear and brought into directly into my swords path. Sparks rose as he shoved me back, I jumped back and landing in a crouch he swiped low right to left. I jumped over the spear and faced the tip of my blade at his chest thrusting forward he rolled left dodging the blow. Landing I sprinted towards him slashing diagonally right to left. He lept back and spinning to spear over his head while spinning himself left he swing the blade at me. I blocked the attack and launched a spinning left spinning kick which he ducked under. My leg landed on the other side of the bar, I brought both legs together and twisting right I yanked the spear out of his hands and swung the blade at his shins. He jumped over and reached down upon landing getting a hold of his spear he pulled it back forcing my to back flip over it. When I landed he brought the spear head down and slashed upward left to right. I jumped left and slashed chest level. He brought the spear in close pivoting it on the ground to block the blow. I kicked the bottom of the spear with my left foot breaking his block and spinning into my slash I released it with amazing speed.

He barely avoided the attack as it ripped through his shirt. A look of worry and anger spread across his chest. He brought his right hand up to his face and focusing a green light appeared around him. He pointed towards me. Knowing what was about to happen I rolled left at the last second, Intense heat blew past me as he casted a fire spell. Upon getting back on my feet he was already casting another spell. I lept into the air and performed a cartwheel as and intense cold hit me, the blades from the ice two spell came within inches of piercing my face. I landed and brought my hand up to my face.

"Bolt two!" I casted.

A swift lightning bolt shot down from the sky. Fury jumped back as the lighting burned through the tail of his coat that rose up when he dodged. I sat there for a second waiting for the next opportunity to arise for a strike.

"Hahaha that's the first time I really had to get serious!" Fury said laughing. "When you find me Cloud I promise I won't use this hobby toy."

"Find you... who the fuck are you and why would I wanna find you?" I asked still keeping my guard up.

A shocked look hit Fury's face.

"You don't know? Hmm well I guess it would make sense, you don't keep in touch with the planet. Those that are starless must die, we disturb the natural order of things. Though I can't say after I hunt all of you down and kill you I'll kill myself, but we must... thin out the numbers. I'm not the only one you'll face off with Cloud, or your friend Spike. Don't let your guard down, I'd wanna be the one who fights you." Fury said backing away.

"What so we're done here?" I asked.

"Yup." He said rather cheerfully. Raising his left wrist to his face he spoke into the black digital watch there. "I'm ready c'mon."

A huge zip-craft red with yellow lines appeared from over the cement wall on the street. A rope ladder fell from the ship as it shined it's search light on me. The light blinded me for a second as I raised my right forearm up to block the beam. With a loud roar the zip-craft shot off south into the distance. I just stood there watching, sheathing my sword I walked back towards Fenrir and turning the ignition I road off down the street to get back to Heaven's Cloud.

Authors note: Hey yeah the story lines under way hope the people who read this liked it. Oh and I know Cloud actually isn't a clone but for the sake of the story line go with it.


End file.
